


My Ghosts Come Back

by AuthorA97



Series: Fallen Star Series [8]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Gen, No Sex, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Tags Are Hard, Team as Family, Time Travel, Timelines Who Needs Timelines
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:01:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 64,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26407666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorA97/pseuds/AuthorA97
Summary: Donna Blipping Noble.She can feel something coming. Bigger than any of them. The Doctor is more worried about the Time Lady than ever.There's River Song, and Jenny, and so many other people that when Rose shows up Terra isn't even surprised.
Relationships: Donna Noble & Terra Johnson, Original Character & Self-care, River Song & Terra Johnson, Tenth Doctor & Terra Johnson, Tenth Doctor/River Song
Series: Fallen Star Series [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/768210
Kudos: 4
Collections: Spencer Saga Series





	1. Time Crash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome everybody! Ah, canon. The place where I am bound by lines and structures so I can’t write Terra being abused...good times.  
> First off: this story will be much lighter than TTW. If you read that and you’re still willing to stick with me, YAY! Or if it’s less loyalty towards me and more to make sure that I’m not hurting Terra again, AlSO YAY!  
> That being said: I am still going along with the stories and themes from last time. Terra has gone through some bad times, now there’s time for healing.   
> *remembers that this is the season with: the Titanic crashing, the Doctor’s daughter dying right in front of him, River Song coming and dying, Martha comes back for a bit but then leaves again, the Midnight thing, Rose comes back for a bit then leaves again, a lot of people die, and by the end of it all the Doctor dies-*  
> Yep. This is the perfect season for Terra to get emotional healing. Haha, haha...ha...hmm.

There were a lot of things I missed during my time with the Master. I missed exploring new planets, new cultures that weren’t the same as on Earth. Seeing new time periods on Earth, seeing how the world had changed or how little it had changed. 

The Doctor’s driving was what I missed most of all. Yes he drove like a baby on a bender, that was part of the charm. How many times could I say I was in a poorly driven time machine?

He’s so bad at driving he crashed into his own car.

Alarms were blaring. The Doctor was trying to stop it from whirling all around. I was clinging to the handrails, laughing.

“Ah, stop it!” The Doctor ordered the TARDIS. I loved it- loved how everything was basically falling apart. After we  _ just  _ put everything back.

The TARDIS came to a stop. I sat herself down on the pilot seat. This was just like it used to be, things were becoming normal again.

“What was all that about, eh? Eh? What’s your problem?” He started checking the readouts.

Ten bumped into the Fifth Doctor. “Right, just settle down now.” Five told the TARDIS.

I blinked at it, chuckling. 

The Doctors bumped together. “So sorry.” Five apologized.

“It’s alright.” Ten moved, letting Five walk around him.

_ ‘Hey Doc, who’s the dude?’ _

Ten froze, the same time Five did. Both of them watched the other- confused. “What?”

“What?” Five asked, just as confused.

“What!”

_ ‘You didn’t answer my question’ _

“Who are you?” Five asked.

“Oh, brilliant.” Ten beamed. “I mean, totally wrong. Bit emergency, universe goes bang in five minutes, but,  _ brilliant _ .”

_ ‘Who is he?’ _

“I’m the Doctor. Who are you?” Five asked of them.

“Yes, you are. You are the Doctor.” Ten smiled at him, pointing to himself. “Terra, this is the Doctor.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “No...”

“Yes, I am. I’m the Doctor.” Five looked to the both of us, only more confused and mad.

“Oh, good for you, Doctor. Good for brilliant old you.” Ten praised.

“Are you wearing a vegetable?” I asked.

Ten groaned. “Blimey, she noticed the vegetable.”

“Is there something wrong with you?” Five asked us both.

“Yes.” I grinned, leaning over the console.

“Oh, there it goes, the frowny face. I remember that one.” Ten complained.

“Can I start making fun of him?” I offered.

“No you can’t. Mind you, bit saggier than I ought to be. Hair’s a bit greyer.” The Doctor continued fanboying over himself. “That’s because of me, though. The two of us together has shorted out the time differential. Should all snap back in place when we get you home. Be able to close that coat again.”

“I again request permission to mock him!”

“Never mind her. Look at you!” Ten rambled on. The coat, the crickety cricket stuff, the stick of celery. Yeah. Brave choice, celery, but fair play to you. Not a lot of men can carry off a decorative vegetable.”

“You’re stealing my jokes!”

“Shut up!” Five demanded. “There is something  _ very wrong _ with my TARDIS, and I’ve got to do something about it very,  _ very _ quickly, and it would help, it  _ really _ would help if there wasn’t some  _ skinny idiot  _ ranting in my face about  _ every single thing _ that happens to be in front of him!”

“Oh. Okay. Sorry. Doctor.” Ten conceded.

_ ‘Why do you get to make fun of yourself, and I can’t?’  _ I asked him.

_ ‘Because it’s not polite.’ _

“Sorry, Sir Doctor.” I gave him a polite nod of the head.

Five nodded back. “Thank you, miss.” He reached for the console.

“Oh, the back of my head.” Ten complained.

“Ha!” I again tried to silence myself.

“What?” Five asked, more perplexed by our behavior. 

“Sorry, sorry. It’s not something you see every day, is it, the back of your own head.” Ten replied. “Mind you, I can see why you wear a hat. I don’t want to seem vain, but could you keep that on?”

“ _ You  _ don’t wanna seem vain?” I asked him. 

“Not really, no.” Ten shook his head.

“What have you done to my TARDIS?” Five exclaimed. “You’ve changed the desktop theme, haven’t you. What’s this one, coral?”

“Well-”

“It’s worse than the leopard skin.” Five complained.

“Hey! I like the coral.” I argued.

“I’m sure it looks fine to you, dear, you’re only human. I have a higher taste.” Five pulled out the glasses.

“Oh, and out they come, the brainy specs.” Ten cheered. “You don’t even need them. You just think they make you look a bit clever.”

“Those who live in glass houses.” I teased.

Ten gave me a brief glare.  _ ‘Quit embarrassing me in front of-’ _

_ ‘In front of yourself?’ _

_ ‘...yes. Could you stop?’ _

_ ‘No.’ _

An alert started going off.

_ ‘See? The TARDIS agrees with me. I’m gonna mock him.’ _

_ ‘No, she’s on  _ my  _ side. She’s telling you to stop.’ _

I hopped out of my seat. Walking to the computer, I pressed the blinking button.

Five ran around the console. “That’s an alert, level five, indicating a temporal collision. It’s like two TARDISes have  _ merged _ , but there’s definitely only one TARDIS present. It’s like two time zones or more at the heart of the TARDIS. That’s a paradox that could blow a hole in the space time continuum the size of-”

I pushed the computer towards him. 

Five paused to read it. “Well, actually, the exact size of Belgium. That’s a bit undramatic, isn’t it? Belgium?”

“So are you. You look like you play cricket but with a spoon.” I told him.

Five blinked, surprised at the insult. 

Ten held out his sonic. “Need this?”

Five mentally dismissed us both. “No, I’m fine.”

“Oh no, of course, you liked to go hands free, didn’t you, like  _ ‘hey, I’m the Doctor. I can save the universe using a kettle and some string. And look at me, I’m wearing a vegetable.’ _ ”

“ _ Hi I’m the Doctor. I make bad choices because I’m not paying attention to details- like when someone put the vegetable on me. Gee I wish I wore glasses so I could’ve noticed!” _

“Who are you?”

“Take a look.” Ten challenged.

Five did. And he did not like whatever he saw. “Oh. Oh, no.”

“Oh yes.”

“You’re- Oh,  _ no _ .”

“Here it comes. Yeah, I am.”

“ _ Fans _ .”

Ten beamed. “Yeah. What?” Ten frowned.

“Aww...you were just as idiotic.” My hand rested over my hearts, poorly hiding a laugh.

“A  _ fan _ ?” Ten repeated. 

“This is bad. Two minutes to Belgium.” Five was actually trying to solve the problem. Ten and I were just amusing ourselves.

With the shitty three years I just had, was that not allowed?

“He thinks you’re a fan!” I laughed, almost unable to breath. None of the Classic Doctors can admit they were  _ young _ . 

“He thinks you are too!” Ten whined. That only made me laugh again. “What do you mean, a fan? I’m not just a fan, I’m you.”

“Okay, you’re my  _ biggest fan _ .” Five corrected with a put-upon tone. “Look, its perfectly understandable. I go zooming around space and time, saving planets, fighting monsters and being well, let’s be honest, pretty sort of marvellous, so naturally now and then people notice me. Start up their little groups. That LINDA lot. Are you one of them? How did you get in here? Can’t have you lot knowing where I live.”

“Listen to me. I’m you, I’m you.” Ten insisted. “I’m you with a new face. Check out this bone structure, Doctor, because one day you’re going to be shaving it.”

“And complaining for half an hour because you cut it, not paying enough attention.” I chimed in.

_ ‘Hey which one is he? Which you is he?’ _

_ ‘Oh he’s my...Fifth. He’s number 5.’ _

_ ‘And you are? Wait, did you already tell me that?’ _

1The cloister bell began to ring out, cutting off the answer. 

“The cloister bell!” Five exclaimed.

“Right on time. That’s our cue.” Ten cheered. “Terra? Come here!”

“On it!” I hopped over to his side. He pointed at buttons. I pushed them.

“In a minute we’re going to create a black hole strong enough to swallow the entire universe!” Five called out.

“Yeah, that’s my fault, actually. I was rebuilding the TARDIS, forgot to put the shields back up.” Ten admitted.

“Pretty sure I warned you but I understand it now.” I replied.

“Your TARDIS and my TARDIS, well the same TARDIS at different points in its own timestream collided and whoo, there you go, end of the universe, butterfingers. But don’t worry, I know exactly how this all works out. Watch.” Ten moved around the console.  _ ‘Terra when I say, fry the Zeiton crystals.’ _

_ ‘Yessir.’ _

“Venting the thermobuffer, drawing the Helmic regulator, and just to finish off, Terra!” Ten instructed.

“Frying Zeiton crystals!” I reached over, pushing the button for it.

“You’ll blow up the TARDIS.” Five warned. 

“No, we won’t. We haven’t.” Ten countered.

“Who told you that?” Five asked, incredulous.

“You told me that.” Ten countered.

The TARDIS shook again. I held the console to keep from falling over. Before long, it stopped shaking. I let out a breath of relief.

“Supernova and black hole at the exact same instant.” Five realized.

“The explosion cancels out the implosion.” Ten added.

“Pressure remains constant.” I cheered, clapping my hands then holding them up. “Huzzah!”

“It’s brilliant.” Ten cheered.

“ _ Far _ too brilliant.” Five noted. “I’ve never met anyone else who could fly the TARDIS like that.”

“Sorry, mate, you still haven’t.” Ten explained.

“Ha! Hahahaha- that wasn’t a compliment.” I pointed out.

Ten paused. “No it wasn’t.”

“You didn’t have time to work all that out. Even  _ I  _ couldn’t do it.” Five was still missing out the most important fact. 

“I didn’t work it out. I didn’t have to.” Ten explained. 

“Because...” I dragged on to let him catch up.

Five’s expression lit up. “You remembered.”

“Because  _ you _ will remember.” Ten confirmed.

Five “You remembered being me watching you and her do that. You already knew what to do because I saw you both do it.” Five explained.

“Wibbly wobbly-” Ten began.

“Timey wimey!” We all decreed.

I laughed, walking up to Ten’s side. We both were smiling at the Fifth Doctor. “

“Right, TARDISes are separating.” Ten flipped switches about. Myself picking up Five’s hat, propping it on my head. “Sorry, Doctor, time’s up. Back to long ago. Where are you now? Nyssa and Tegan? Cybermen and Mara and Time Lords in funny hats and the Master? Oh, he just showed up again, same as ever.” Ten explained.

“Oh no, really? Does he still have that rubbish beard?” Five asked.

“No, no beard this time. Well, a wife.” Ten corrected.

“She was nice.” I complimented. Lucy deserved the compliment, or any sort of praise.

“Who were you again, Miss?”

“Terra Johnson.” I explained, tipping his own hat. “Pleasure to meet you, and your vegetable.”

Five smiled. “It will be an honor to meet you, I am sure.” He held out his hand. I returned his hat. “Oh, I seem to be off. What can I say? Thank you, Doctor and Terra Johnson.”

“No trouble.” I told him, smiling politely.

“Thank you.” Ten replied.

“I’m very welcome.” Five replied.

“You know, I love being you. Back when I first started at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important, like you do when you’re young. And then I was you, and it was all dashing about and playing cricket and my voice going all squeaky when I shouted. I still do that, the voice thing. I got that from you.” He raised his leg, showing off his converse shoes. “Oh, and the trainers, and-” He put on his brainy specs. “Snap. Because you know what, Doctor? You were  _ my  _ Doctor.”

“To the days to come.” Five recited.

“All my love to long ago.” Ten finished.

The Fifth Doctor faded from sight. The Tenth Doctor twisted levers and pushed various buttons.

“Hey.” I patted his arm. “Now that you don’t have a paradox issue with your past self showing up, could we put the shields up?”

The Doctor nodded. “Right, right. Doing it now.”

He pushed a button...

...then immediately crashed the TARDIS again.

“What?” The Doctor exclaimed. A ship’s horn went off. That didn’t help anything. “What! What?”

“Does that floaty say Titanic?!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go...just some light hearted fun. See? I didn’t do anything to Terra this time. I’m so nice to her now.


	2. Voyage of the Damned

He pushed a button...

...then immediately crashed the TARDIS again.

"What?" The Doctor exclaimed. A ship’s horn went off. That didn’t help anything. "What! What?"

“Does that floaty say Titanic?!” A beat. “I wanna see!”

“Wait!” The Doctor called out. He went up to the console. He pushed various levers and knobs. I went to pick up the floaty.

The floaty was so disgusting. It was awesome. This was definitely going up in my room. Right? Back in the TARDIS, I had my old room again. Well not Terra Two’s old room, this was my old room on the TARDIS. I should have it back. In a minute, I was gonna go check. 

The Doctor turned back time. The hole in the TARDIS patched herself up. She was giggling in my mind. The TARDIS, giggling again. It wasn’t exactly giggling, more like what you expect giggling to sound like from fairies on a breeze. She laughed at his driving too. 

Ah man, the floaty went away!

“Terra?” He prompted. I looked up. The Doctor flipped another switch, carefully moving himself so I couldn’t see it. “Wanna take a look?”

“Always, Doctor!”

He wanted to go on an adventure. His best friend just died and my...our companion just left, he wanted to go on an adventure. Not that I didn’t agree, I wanted an adventure like a fish needs water. Normal people might’ve said something about timing.

The Doctor held up his arm. Giddy, I wrapped mine in his. Together we stepped out from the TARDIS. 

“We’re in a broom cupboard again.” I giggled.

“Oh have we? We certainly did.” The Doctor replied. “That’s still working then.” He turned his head to me. Both of us breaking out into goggles. 

We both stepped out from the broom closet onto the Titanic. People were milling about in their fanciest dress. I spotted Astrid serving drinks to Mr Slade, Bannakaffalatta walking and talking with two pretty girls. The Angels were also standing in place and ready. Everything was more than a little offsetting...unless you were me.

This was familiar.

This was good.

This was relaxing. 

The Doctor guided me throughout the dining hall. We saw all the fancy people, ourselves walking about like we owned something. I certainly owned the floaty, hanging up on the wall like it hadn’t been in my arms a minute ago. The Angels gave us a hard disquieting stare. Which we promptly ignored.

Instead the Doctor took me to look out a window. 

“Right.” The Doctor nodded to himself.

“Ooo! It’s so pretty.” I cheered. Earth and space itself did look beautiful from up here, much better view than the  _ Valiant  _ could’ve given.

“ _ Attention all passengers. The Titanic is now in orbit above Sol Three, also known as Earth. Population, Human. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas.” _

==MGCB==

After the Doctor found out what this ship actually was, he decided it was the right time for a wardrobe change. The fact that it was changed nothing. Even broken clocks are right twice a day.

He went off to the TARDIS closet, I wandered off to my room. 

My old room.

My TARDIS room.

The room was still the same. Everything about it like my room in the Haven. Spacious living area connected to a queen sized bed, and a tiny little kitchen with a bar. There was a window that looked out into space, supernovas and constellations and so much more.

It was like home.

Thankfully the closet was in here too. My closet was intact of all the copies of my usual dress- my favorite dress. In addition it had  _ the holiday dress _ .

Together we stepped out of the TARDIS as fancy as we wanted.

Him in his usual bad luck tux, me in a Christmas dress.

I was in a more Christmas version of my usual dress. The pink of the bodice was bright red, the blue of the skirt was dark green, and the sleeves were just brighter and lacey. My bowtie was dark green as well, and the boots were also bright red. The most Christmassy dress I could make. 

The Doctor stared at my wildly colored dress in confusion. “Why are you wearing that?”

“You’re right. I look ridiculous.” Reaching into my Bag, I reached for the final accessory. When I found it I unveiled it with flourish. “This is a special occasion!”

With a flick of my fingers the hat  _ popped  _ up. This was a fairly modest top hat- not a High-Silk. Nah this was the hat a frog could wear to sing  _ ‘baby my honey’ _ . Not only that, it was the same first-snow white as the sleeves.

“Tada!” I cheered. Dropping the hat on my hat, I adjusted it so it would stay on. Lucky me I’d searched so hard for this hat!

The Doctor laughed. “You actually have a top hat!”

“Of course I have a top hat! I’m not a hooligan!” I replied, scandalized. “Hats were for special occasions. We agreed.”

The Doctor laughed again. “That we did, that we did.” He held his arm up again. “Lady Terra?”

I took the arm. “Sir Doctor.”

“Don’t call me  _ ‘sir’ _ . Shall we partake in the festivities?” 

“Of course.”

Together, we walked out into the party proper. Earth Christmas music was coming from the speakers. My red boots tapped at the ground to the beat. 

The Doctor walked us to a podium. It started to play the commercial for the ship. 

_ “Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. The fastest, the farthest, the best. And I should know because my name  _ is _ Max.” _

“I don’t like him.” I stated.

“Let’s hold off on judgement.” The Doctor advised.

“He used his golden tooth for a sparkle gag. How is that  _ not _ suspicious?” I asked.

The Doctor made a face. His  _ ‘that’s actually a good point I’ll keep it in mind’ _ face, the heavy pout with a nod of the head. The face was so familiar...I hadn’t seen any of his ‘faces’ for almost three years. Would that anyone be excited to see them again?

The face was so funny too. 

A steward bowed their head at us. “Merry Christmas, sir, miss.”

“Merry Christmas.” The Doctor cheered.

“Merry Christmas.” I tipped my hat to them.

As we explored the party, the Christmas music was louder. I hummed a few bars, twirling the toe of my boot. The Doctor was smiling the whole time, silently giggling at my antics.

It felt good to make someone smile again.

Slade walked by us. He didn’t notice us. “It’s not a holiday for me, not while I’ve still got my vone. Now do as I say and sell.”

_ ‘What a rude thing to do on vacation.’ _

_ ‘Agreed. We’re not on vacation though, let’s check it out.’ _

_ ‘Yeah. It’s never something good when you wear that tux.’ _

_ ‘It was a coincidence, I swear.’ _

The Doctor walked us over to an Angel Host. I smiled, ignoring that they would try to kill me in an hour. “Evening. Passenger fifty seven and eight. Terrible memories. Remind me. You would be?”

“Information.” The Host locked up, his jaw lowering and rising in a mockery of talking. “Heavenly Host supplying tourist information.”

“Good, so, tell me, because I’m an idiot, where are we from?” The Doctor asked. 

“Information. The Titanic is en route from the planet Sto in the Cassavalian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures.” The Host answered. 

“Titanic. Who thought of the name?” The Doctor asked it. 

“Information. It was chosen as the most famous vessel of the planet Earth.”

“They can play Earth Christmas tunes. They must have access to their stories.” I reasoned. “Did no one tell you why it was famous?”

“Information.” The Host replied. “All designations are chosen by Mr Max Capricorn, president of Max, Max, Max-” It glitched out.

The repetition reminded me of Donna. I didn’t like thinking about that.

The Chief Steward rushed over. He tended to the Host. Just in time, as the Doctor was about to bring out the sonic. 

“Ooo, bit of a glitch.” The Doctor noted.

“Is it alright?” I asked the Chief Steward.

“Yes it is, miss, sir, we can handle this.” He assured us, lying through his teeth.

Two more Stewards came over. They took the Host with them, deactivating it as they left. 

“Software problem, that’s all.” The Chief Steward continued. 

_ ‘Bet it’s not.’ _

_ ‘I’m never taking a bet with you again.’ _

_ ‘Ten bucks?’ _

_ ‘Not in this tux.’ _

_ ‘You admit it’s cursed!’ _

“Leave it with us, sir, miss. Merry Christmas.” He gave a parting smile, waking off with his coworkers. “That’s another one down. What’s going on with these things?”

The Doctor and I exchanged a look. “So no bet?”

“It’s a suckers bet.” The Doctor replied.

I pouted. “You’re no fun.”

“You mean I’m not a sucker.” The Doctor countered.

“You’re right, I don’t like it.” I replied, pouting harder.

The Doctor just chuckled. Our good feelings were shattered by the sounds of breaking glass. 

_ (Hahaha...shattered, breaking glass, hahaha) _

Slade was glaring at Astrid. He pulled his vone back to yell at her. The poor Stewardess was cleaning up the broken glass. “For Tov's sake, look where you're going. This jacket's a genuine Earth antique.”

“I'm sorry, sir.” She replied meekly.

“You'll be sorry when it comes off your wages, sweetheart.” Slade warned. “Staffed by idiots. No wonder Max Capricorn's going down the drain.” He stormed off in a huff.

“Disgusting.” I huffed.

The Doctor gave me a small nod. “Yeah, let’s not go after him.”

“Nobody would even know it was me.” I replied.  _ I’m good like that. _

“Later.” The Doctor walked over to Astrid, kneeling down by her side.

I walked over to join. 

“Careful. There we go.” The Doctor picked up bits of broken glass.

The smaller shards were getting lost in the carpet. I took off my hat, scraping it along the carpet to pick them out. 

“Thank you, sir, miss. I can manage.” Astrid assured us. 

“We never said you couldn’t.” The Doctor pointed out. “I’m the Doctor, by the way.”

“I’m Terra.” I introduced, twirling my hat back on my head to tip.

“Astrid, sir. Astrid Peth.” Astrid introduced.

“Nice to meet you, Astrid Peth. Merry Christmas.” The Doctor cheered. 

“Merry Christmas, Astrid!” 

“Merry Christmas, sir, ma’am.” Astrid replied.

“Just Doctor, not sir.” The Doctor corrected.

“I will take Madame. It’s fancy, like my hat.” I supplied. The Doctor gleaned at me. “I mean no, it’s just Terra.”

Astrid smiled back, delighted. “You enjoying the cruise?”

“It’s so pretty, and there is so much Christmas here.” I explained, smiling wide. “It’s fun to be on a cruise with a friend.”

The Doctor beamed at me. “Yeah. It is.” He turned to the Stewardess. “What about you? Long way from home, Planet Sto.”

“Doesn’t feel that different. I spent three years working at the spaceport diner, travelled all the way here and I’m still waiting on tables.” Astrid explained.

“No shore leave?” The Doctor asked.

“We’re not allowed. They can’t afford the insurance.” Astrid admitted. We all stood up, disposing of the glass shards. After, we stopped to look out the window. “I just wanted to try it, just once. I used to watch the ships heading out to the stars and I always dreamt of. It sounds daft.”

“You dreamt of another sky.” The Doctor finished her thought. As he talked, Astrid’s gaze turned vacant as she imagined the picture he was drawing. “New sun, new air, new life. A whole universe teeming with life.” We sat down on the window ledge, myself crossing my leg. “Why stand still when there’s all that life out there?”

Astrid said nothing for a long moment. “So, you travel a lot?”

“All the time!” I answered, drumming my fingers on my boot. “I highly recommend it.”

“Just for fun. Well, that’s the plan. Never quite works.” The Doctor admitted.

“Yeah, it tends to go wrong.” I laughed with him.

“Must be rich, though.” Astrid mused.

“Broke as hell.” I replied. Which was true, the Doctor was broke as hell. My money was useless in this reality. 

“Stowaways.” The Doctor revealed.

Astrid’s face broke out in a smile. “Kidding.”

“Seriously.”

“Serious.”

“ _ No _ .” Astrid gasped, looking not at all offended.

“Oh, yeah.”

“Yep.” I popped the p.

“How did you get on board?” Astrid asked.

“Accident. I’ve got this, sort of, ship thing.” The Doctor babbled.

“He crashed her into the ship.” I teased. My elbow bumped his arm. “Terrible pilot over here. We saw where we landed, and just...well. It looked fun!”

“Hold on, hold on. It wasn’t my piloting. I was just- I was working on something. Rebuilding her.” The Doctor explained to Astrid.

“And what did you forget-“

“I left the defences down to fix it, that’s all.” The Doctor admitted. “Bumped into the Titanic. Here we are.”

“I should report you.” Astrid told herself.

“Go on then.” The Doctor challenged.

“If you dare.” I teased.

“I’ll get you two drinks on the house.” Astrid offered. She walked off.

The Doctor and I exchanged grins. 

“Can we party now?” I asked, smiling wide.

He grinned back.

People were laughing. Normally this would be good for us. Except I could see the laughter was directed at a very nice couple. That wasn’t good. Nobody insults Morvin and Foon then gets away from it!

We walked to their table. 

“Just ignore them.” Morvin was assuring Foon, who was in the middle of eating a Buffalo wing. 

The Doctor took a seat by Morvin. I took the seat by Foon. “Something’s tickled them.”

They had little cakes on the table. I grabbed one, taking a bite. It was red velvet! Score: another good Three liked!

“They told us it was ‘ _ fancy dress’ _ . Very funny, I’m sure.” Foon explained. 

“You are dressed fancy.” I complimented. “Purple is a great color on you by the way.”

Foon smiled a bit at the praise. “So are you. Loving that hat.”

“Aww, thank you!”

“They’re just picking on us because we haven’t paid. We won our tickets in a competition.” Morvin explained.

“I had to name the five husbands of Joofie Crystalle in  _ By the Light of the Asteroid _ .” Foon explained. “Did you ever watch _ By the Light of the Asteroid? _ ”

“No, not recently. Doc?” I asked him, popping another cake bite in my mouth.

The Doctor twisted up his face in thought. “Is that the one with the twins?”

“That’s it.” Foon cheered. The Doctor grinned. “Oh, it’s marvellous.”

“But we’re not good enough for that lot.” Morvin nodded his head towards the laughing crowd. “They think we should be in steerage.” 

“Well, can’t have that, can we?” The Doctor stated.

The Doctor brought out his sonic, sneakily aiming it behind him. I had the perfect vantage point to watch. Their champagne bottle popped open, the fizz going out. It sprayed various members of the giggling crowded table. 

I giggled around another treat.

“Did you do that?” Foon asked, eyes wide.

“I didn’t see anything.” I replied.

The Doctor shrugged. “Maybe.”

Foon and Morvin kept laughing. “We like you.” Foon praised.

“We do. I’m Morvin Van Hoff.” He held his hand out to the Doctor. After giving it a firm shake, Morvin reached for my hand. “This is my good woman, Foon.”

“Morvin and Foon, pleasure to meet ya!” I cheered while giving Foon a firm handshake. “I’m Terra, and this is the Doctor.”

“Oh, I’m going to need a Doctor, time I’ve finished with that buffet.” Foon joked. “Have a buffalo wing. They must be enormous, these buffalo. So many wings.”

The Doctor held one up to me. “Terra?”

“I’m good with cake.” I replied. 

“ _ Attention please. Shore leave tickets Red Six Seven no _ w  _ activated. Red Six Seven.” _

“Red Six Seven.” Foon pulled a red card from her shirt. Morvin pulled out a similarly colored card. “That’s us. Are you Red Six Seven?”

“Might as well be.” The Doctor replied, grinning.

“Come on, then. We’re going to Earth.” Morvin cheered. 

==MGCB==

The four of us walked over to the tour guide.

“Red Six Seven. Red Six Seven.” Mr Copper called out. “This way, fast as you can.”

Astrid walked up to our side. She had two drinks on a tray. “I got you that drink.”

I grabbed mine. The Doctor moved the tray to the side.

“And I got you a treat. Come on.” The Doctor pushed Astrid ahead. 

I tossed the drink back. She got me  _ wine _ . Astrid was so  _ nice. _ When was the last time I drank? Like, really drank? Was it my last birthday? No...no that one was too sad. Maybe I got drunk the week after?

Has it really been that long...wow I need to hit rock bottom.  _ Fast.  _ First chance after this, I’ll get plastered. Maybe I can convince the Doctor to join. We could both use a non-emergency vacation.

“Red Six Seven departing shortly.” Copper called out. 

The Doctor held up the psychic paper. “Two for Red Six Seven, plus one.”

“Quickly, sir, please, and take three teleport bracelets if you would.” Copper instructed, checking to make sure everyone else was in the group.

The Doctor grabbed the teleport bracelets, handing them out. I grabbed one from him to slap on my wrist. The Doctor kept the third outstretched towards Astrid.

Astrid was staring at it like Aladdin stared at the lamp. “I’ll get the sack.”

“Brand new sky.” The Doctor reminded her.

“Don’t stand still.” I added.

Astrid took the bracelet.

“To repeat, I am Mr Copper, the ship’s historian, and I shall be taking you to Old London town in the country of UK, ruled over by good King Wenceslas.” Copper began. 

The Doctor and I blinked. 

“Now, human beings worship the great god Santa, a creature with fearsome claws, and his wife Mary.” Copper continued.

_ ‘Did he watch  _ Nightmare Before Christmas _?’ _

_ ‘He might have done.’ _

“And every Christmas Eve, the people of UK go to war with the country of Turkey. They then eat the Turkey people for Christmas dinner like savages.” Copper explained to the concerned passengers.

“Sorry, Mr Copper?” I stepped forward, holding up my hand.

“Yes miss?” He gave my top hat a glance before putting on a polite smile.

“Where did you get your information?” I asked him. “If you don’t mind my asking?”

“It’s quite alright, miss. Well, I have a first class degree in Earthonomics.” Copper answered. “Now, stand by.”

_ ‘Please tell me that’s a real class in alien colleges.’ _

_ ‘It’s not. Still, he was close.’ _

_ ‘Yeah, I’ll give him that.’ _

“And me! And me! Red Six Seven.” Bannakaffalatta called out. The tiny red cactus man- was that racist? The green cactus ones would probably say that was racist- rushed up to us.

“Well, take a bracelet, please, sir.” Copper picked one up, holding it out to him.

“But, er, hold on, hold on. What was your name?” The Doctor asked him.

“Bannakaffalatta.”

“Okay, Bannakaffalatta. But it’s Christmas Eve down there. Late night shopping, tons of people. He’s like a talking conker.”

“Come on. There’s probably some kind of perception filter on the bracelet so he can stay hidden.” I excused.

“No, there isn’t actually.” Copper admitted.

“Wait what?”

“Exactly! No offence, but you’ll cause a riot because the streets are going to be packed with shoppers and parties and-” The Doctor was interrupted by the bracelets activating.

We were on an empty London street. This was the sort of quiet that only existed in the year, people too panicked to come out in the world. I instinctively checked the sky for Toclafane. My body tensed up, sliding beside the Doctor to hold his arm.

“Oh.”

“Now, spending money.” Copper announced. My hand grabbed the Doctor’s arm, gripping it tight. He noticed the tight grip, looking down to me. “I have a credit card in Earth currency-”

_ ‘Terra, are you seeing this?’ _ The Doctor was looking around the empty street. My eyes were still in the empty sky, my ears still perked for their sounds.

“-if you want to buy trinkets, or stockings-”

_ ‘Terra do you see anything? Are you seeing it now?’ _

“-or the local delicacy, which is known as beef.”

_ ‘I can’t find them.’ _ I answered him.  _ ‘The Toclafane are really quiet tonight. They know Mummy is checking to see if they broke curfew.’ _

The Doctor looked down at me. _ ‘Terra. The Year ended. It’s done. All the Toclafane went back to the future. We’re all fine now.’ _

“But don’t stray too far, it could be dangerous. Any day now they start boxing.” Copper finished.

_ ‘Do you believe me?’ _

The Doctor turned me towards him so I could look him in the eye. No, no I couldn’t afford to look him in the eyes. What if they showed up at that time? I forced myself to look away.

Then I saw him.

The amazing, the wonderful, the stupendous, the unanimous bestest,  _ Wilfred Mott. _

I couldn’t be in the Year with Wilfred Mott there. Everyone in their house died in the Decimation. 

_ ‘Yeah, I believe you.’ _

“Very good.” Bannakaffalatta cheered, walking off to explore. 

“It should be full.” The Doctor stated. “It should be busy. Something’s wrong.”

“That’s just what our vacation needed.” I mused. “Drama.”

“But it’s beautiful.” Astrid praised, watching the street in awe. 

“Really? Do you think so? It’s just a street. The pyramids are beautiful, and New Zealand.” The Doctor pointed out. 

“I saw New Zealand. He’s right.”  _ That was actually the calmest part of it- _

_ Oh wait  _ that _ was when I last got drunk! _

“But it’s a different planet.” Astrid cheered, excitedly gesturing to all the things. “I’m standing on a different planet. There’s concrete and shops. Alien shops. Real alien shops! Look, no stars in the sky.”

_ There were stars. _

_ You haven’t seen a world without stars _

_ Not yet _

“And it smells. It stinks! Oh, this is amazing. Thank you!”

She hugged us both.

Not gonna lie, it was setting off another panic attack.

_ Don’t touch me don’t touch me don’t touch me nobody touch me! _

“Yeah? Come on then, let’s have a look.” The Doctor ended the hug. It finally allowed me to breathe. 

He walked towards Wilfred Mott. Ah, a saving grace.

“Hello, there.” The Doctor greeted.

Wilf took one look at me, then blinked back in surprise. “Oh! Aren’t you festive!”

I smiled widely. “I know! I’m so excited- it came out perfect.”

“Sorry, obvious question, but where’s everybody gone?” The Doctor asked Wilf.

“Oh ho, scared!” Wilf answered.

“Right. Yes. Scared of what?” The Doctor asked.

“Where’ve you been living? London at Christmas? Not safe, is it.” Wilf informed him.

“Because of...?” I asked.

“Well, it’s them, up above.” Wilf pointed to the sky. “Look, Christmas before last we had that big bloody spaceship, everyone standing on a roof. And then last year, that Christmas Star electrocuting all over the place, draining the Thames.”

“Oh I remember that.” I recalled with a happy sigh. “Last year was so fun. I hope I see Donna again. Don’t you, Doc?”

The Doctor made a face, looking up at the sky. “I could wait.”

“This place is amazing.” Astrid praised.

“And this year, Lord knows what.” Wilf went on. “So, everybody’s scarpered. Gone to the country. All except me and Her Majesty.”

“You are an amazing human being.” I praised Wilf. He and Donna deserved all the praise. “I tip my hat to you, sir.”

“Thank you, miss. You lot are too! Out and about with me and Queen Liz!” Wilf turned up the TV. An announcer was talking about the Queen.

_ “Her Majesty the Queen has confirmed that she’ll be staying in Buckingham Palace throughout the festive season to show the people of London, and the world, that there’s nothing to fear.” _

“God bless her. We stand vigil.” Wilf stood up to salute in the name of the Queen.

“Well, between you and me, I think her Majesty’s got it right.” The Doctor stated. “Far as I know, this year, nothing to worry about.”

We vanished in a flaring blue light. It was so sudden, and contrasted him so strongly, it made me giggle. 

“I was in mid-sentence.” The Doctor complained.

“That poor man...nah he’ll be fine.” 

“Yes, I’m sorry about that.” Copper explained, looking confused himself. He checked his podium. Nothing he saw made things easier for him. He walked over to us. “A bit of a problem. If I could have your bracelets.”

The Chief Steward walked up to us, all polite smiles. Astrid hid behind the Doctor. “Apologies, ladies and gentlemen, and Bannakaffalatta. We seem to have suffered a slight power fluctuation. If you’d like to return to the festivities. And on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners, free drinks will be provided.”

“Ooh yay.” I cheered. “Doctor let’s get drunk.”

“We can’t.” The Doctor told me.

“Wait like literally or because of an emergency, cause I’ve done both.”

“Because of the- wait when were you drunk in an emergency?” The Doctor asked.

Astrid reached back around for a hug. I stepped back just in time to avoid it. “That was the best. The best!”

The Doctor smiled politely as she went back to work. He gave me a look that we’d talk about my work ethic later. I reached back, grabbing the drink he left behind earlier. The Doctor walked over to the Chief Steward.

“What sort of power fluctuation?”

==MGCB==

They never answered us.

Instead, the party started. The drinks didn’t work on me as strong as for a human. This was easily solved by convincing the bartender to give me a whole bottle. Alcohol was how I unhealthily solved my internal problems as Three. Well Two did it too, Three’s done it more often. She has more reasons.

This was a healing bottle of wine. I was free. The world was normal again, I’d met Wilfred Mott. The Master was dead. I got to kill him at long last. Martha left me. Why shouldn’t I be drinking?

The music was good too. As I stood by the Doctor, sipping at a glass of wine, I was dancing to the music. The Doctor watched me with a fond smile. 

_ ‘Wanna join, have a little fun?’ _ I asked him. _ ‘I only ask cause you’ve been staring for a bit.’ _

_ ‘Oh? No, no I’m fine. Just watching.’ _

_ ‘Okay. Are you just super jealous of the hat?’ _

_ ‘I’m happy to see you happy.’ _

That comment gave me pause. Had it really been so long for him? What was it for him, in terms of time? There was a year for him...did he know how long it was for me?

_ ‘You wanna ask me things.’ _

_ ‘I don’t want to upset you.’ _ The Doctor admitted. 

That’s new. Usually ticking me off was the least of his worries.  _ ‘Just ask. It’s killing my weak buzz.’ _

_ ‘No, it’s fine. I don’t need to know.’ _

_ ‘You always want to know. Just ask.’ _

_ ‘I know what it’s like. When they leave.’ _ The Doctor told me. I stopped, leaning on the table beside me.  _ ‘You pulled me out of my grief. I’ll be here for you, to help you through.’ _

_ ‘I don’t need help. I need wine.’ _ Lifting the wine glass, I gulped it down.  _ ‘Oh and to see why everything is glitching. You do too.’ _

_ ‘No. I’m genuinely worried about you-’ _

_ ‘That’s why you really want to talk to me. You didn’t care, you just want me to get over it so we can work.’ _

“What? No. Terra, I think you’ve had enough.” He tried to take the wine bottle from the table.

“Nope!” I yanked it back from him, sneaking out the sonic too. “This is mine. No stealing. Stealing is bad.”

The Doctor sighed. “Alright! Alright. We can do things your way. Let me get-” He reached in his coat pocket. He paused. “-where is-”

I held up the sonic. Turning tail, I skipped over to a nearby portrait of Max Capricorn. The Doctor could judge my hypocrisy later. 

_ “And I should know because my name is Max. The fastest, the furthest, the best. My name is Max.” _

I used the sonic on the frame. It popped off. The Doctor showed up behind me.

“Clever. I knew you did that.” The Doctor ruffled his hair.

“I know you know.” I checked the ship’s current layout. The shields being off stood out to me. My thoughts went to Alonso in navigation with the Captain.

The Doctor straightened up. The smarty pants glasses popped on. He leaned over, checking the window. I leaned the other ways to peak out the other window. The meteors were still coming straight for us.

The Doctor nabbed the sonic back. He pressed it against the screen. “Is that the bridge? I need to talk to the Captain. You’ve got a meteoroid storm coming in west zero by north two.”

“ _ Who is this?” _ The Captain asked.

“Never mind that, your shields are down.” The Doctor warned. “Check your scanners, Captain. You’ve got meteoroids coming in and now shielding.”

_ “You have no authorization. You will clear the comms at once.” _ The Captain ordered.

“Yeah? Just look starboard!” The Doctor warned.

“We see three coming in hot!” I added in. “You need to activate shielding or this ship is gonna crash! Just like her namesake!”

That same fucking Chief Steward stopped us again. “Come with me, the both of you.” He was quite rude. I did not like it.

Other Stewards grabbed the Doctor and myself. Yes this indeed sent me into another panic.

“You’ve got a rock storm heading for this ship and the shields are down.” The Doctor cried out. 

The Stewards kept dragging us out. I was done with it. 

“Let me go.” I ordered.

The Steward holding my arm let go, freezing in place to the confusion of his fellows. They kept moving along with the Doctor. Without waiting for him, I booked it to the stage. 

“Sorry I’m taking this!” I lifted the mic off it’s stand, interrupting the music. Everyone turned to see what happened. “Attention everyone! We have an emergency! Shields are-”

A Host was coming up behind me. I was prepared, ducking to avoid it.

“-down, with three hostile coming from the starboard!” I announced. The Host ducked to grab me. I side stepped. 

“Just listen to her!” The Doctor shouted. “Get to the lifeboats!” A Steward pressed their hand over the Doctor’s mouth.

The Host tried a third time to get me. “Look out the windows!” I ordered.

It grabbed my neck. Tossing the mic back to the singer, I tried to flip the Host over. This thing  _ hurt _ . It was squeezing at my throat, dragging me backwards.

“The shields are down. We are going to get hit!” The Doctor yelled.  _ ‘Terra are you alright?!’ _

_ ‘The ship is gonna crash! How am I alright?!’ _

_ ‘I’ll get us out!’ _

The Host handed me off to a Steward. I was way more scared this time, hyperventilating. 

“Them friends.” Bannakaffalatta started chasing after us.

Distantly, I could spot the Van Hoffs and Astrid chasing us. My head hurt. Then I wanted to scream, to drink more, to get away. Why couldn’t I get away? 

_ Let me go _

_ Please just let me go _

“If you don’t believe us, check the shields yourself.” The Doctor yelled.

“Sir, I can vouch for them!” Astrid pleaded.

“Look, Steward, they’ve just had a bit too much to drink.” Morvin pleaded. 

Copper walked alongside us. “Sir, something seems to have gone wrong. All the teleports have gone down.”

“Not now!” The Chief Steward snapped.

My head hurt so bad. Maybe breathing would help. Why couldn’t I breathe? Why wouldn’t they let me  _ go _ ?

When I next looked, we were in the inner corridor. They were full of people. The last survivors.

_ The only ones that survived the devastation. They were the 10%. They were the last dying breath of humanity. _

“Oi! Steward! I’m telling you, the shields are down!” Slade yelled.

“Listen to him.  _ Listen to him!” _ The Doctor shouted.

“Put me down!” I yelled.

The Stewards never got the chance. The meteors hit the crash a moment later.

==MGCB==

_ Dying. _

_ All of humanity, dying. _

_ The smell of burning flesh.  _

_ Everyone was  _ loud _. _

_ Someone was crying. Who was crying? Was it me- no it hurt too much to cry. _

_ I could breath now. That helped. _

_ Everything was on fire.  _

“Terra. Terra!” The Doctor took hold of my shoulders. He turned me to face him. “Terra, can you hear me?”

I nodded. Everything was on fire. I tried turning to it. The Doctor turned my head again to meet his eyes.

“You’ve here with me. We are in the Titanic. I crashed the TARDIS into it, remember?” The Doctor asked. 

“...I got a floaty.”

“Yes, you did.” The Doctor smiled, praising me.

“I want it back.”

“That was good- great! We’re going to get you another.”

“Good cause I want it back.”

I couldn’t pay attention to him anymore. There was suddenly so much screaming in my head. Was it everyone else screaming, or just in my head? Did my Grudge ghosts come back?

_ “Silence!”  _ I ordered. That’s what my sister did to my Grudge last time. It seemed to work on them just like it did now.

The Doctor helped me to my feet. My legs were weak, so I held his side. He helped keep me upright. “I’ll tell you, Terra, this is either a bad name for a ship or my suit is cursed.”

“The suckers bet.” I recalled. That was recent. We did that less than an hour ago. “You wouldn’t give me $10.”

“I still won’t.” The Doctor answered. He held the sonic aloft. It turned off a nearby screen, recording Capricorn’s phrase over and over.

“Er, everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta.” The Chief Steward spoke, trying to assure the panicked group. “I must apologize on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. We seem to have had a small collision.”

“ _ Small _ ?” Morvin exclaimed.

It got the whole crowd of them shouting again. My head pounded at the noise.

_ “QUIET!” _ I screamed, my voice going shrill. My knees buckled.

The Doctor caught me. He ran his hand on my head, calmly shushing me. “It’s alright. It’s alright.”

_ ‘My head hurts.’ _

“I know. It’s bound to hurt, that kind of energy going through your mind.”

“I’m sure Max Capricorn Cruiseliners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience, but first I would point out that we’re very much alive.” The Chief Steward continued.

“Doctor.” Astrid started.

The Doctor and I looked over. Copper was bleeding from a cut on his head. It was a small cut. Astrid dabbed at it with her apron. The Doctor helped me up.

I pulled myself back.

“Terra-”

“I dropped my hat.” I stumbled towards the hat. It was a smoky gray now, one part of the brim burnt. I blew on the fire, putting it out. Once clean I popped it back on my head.

“Terra, your nose is bleeding.” The Doctor pointed out. 

I reached a hand up. It came back red. “That’s bad, yeah?”

“Yes.” He walked over to me. He left Copper with Astrid. He brought out the sonic, scanning me.

“She is, after all, a fine, sturdy ship.” The Chief Steward assured them. “If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the situation.” He walked to the hatch door behind us.

“Wait!”

“Don’t open it!”

_ Whoops _

The Chief Steward opened the door. Problem was that there was no hatch or hallway on the other side. Just open space...no oxygen shield to keep us all inside. So when the Steward opened it, all the air wanted to go outside.

You see the problem now.

Yes it took my hat. I mean it tried taking me too, it’s just that the hat is more important.

The Doctor already had out the sonic. He used it on a control panel. This was like the fourth dangerous situation in an hour, but I also found it the least life threatening.

Except for the hat.

_ Always _ for the hat.

_ “Oxygen shield stabilised.”  _

“Everyone all right? Terra?” The Doctor asked.

“I lost my hat!”

“You’re good. Astrid?”

“Yeah.”

“Foon? Morvin? Mr Copper? Bannakaffalatta?” The Doctor checked with all the other survivors.

“Yes.” Bannakaffalatta answered.

I sat upright, mourning the hat. Yeah it’s sad for the Chief Steward but I’m convinced he was part of it all. He deserved it. 

“You, what was your name?” The Doctor asked. 

“Rickston Slade.”

“You all right?”

“No thanks to that idiot.” Slade sneered.

“Hey, only I can call people idiots!” I scolded him. “Even then, only to close friends or really stupid people.”

“And he was really stupid, and now he’s dead.” Slade argued.

“You are named after a DC Villain and it  _ shows _ !”

“All right, calm down.” The Doctor stood between myself and Slade. “Just stay still, all of you. Hold on.”

The two of us walked to the opened hatch. The oxygen shield was the only thing keeping us from being sucked out. I could see my hat floating among the corpses.

Astrid walked up behind us. “What happened? How come the shields were down?” She asked.

“I don’t think it was an accident.” The Doctor admitted. 

“He tried covering up way too much. The Captain too.” I added. 

“How many dead?” Astrid asked, looking out at the floating corpses.

“We’re alive. Just focus on that.” The Doctor insisted.

“That’s always a good starting place: being alive.” I reminded them.

“We will get you out of here, Astrid, we promise.” The Doctor assured. He turned over to Astrid, trying to pull her attention away from the door. “Look at me. We promise. Good. Now, if we can get to Reception, we’ve got a spaceship tucked away.”

“No we don’t.” I nodded towards the TARDIS.

“We don’t have to hide it cause- oh no we don’t.” The Doctor spotted the TARDIS.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Astrid asked.

“That’s our ship over there.” The Doctor admitted.

“Where?”

“That beautiful blue box.” I explained.

“That’s a spaceship?” Astrid asked.

“Oi, don’t knock it.”

“Her feelings  _ do _ matter!” 

“It’s a bit small.” Astrid commented.

“A bit distant.” The Doctor corrected, blowing out a huff. “Trouble is, once it’s set adrift, it’s programmed to lock onto the nearest centre of gravity, and that would be the Earth.”

“It would be too much to ask for lifeboats, huh?” I asked.

The Doctor shook his head. “No. We need to connect with the bridge. Assess the damage.”

“Right. This could just be the start of the bad stuff.” I agreed.

The Doctor nodded to confirm. He walked over to a Comm panel. I followed him. The Doctor pulled a handkerchief out from his coat. “Here.”

I tilted my head, ignoring the ache in my head.

“For your nose.” The Doctor explained. “Don’t want to ruin the sleeves.”

“Oh! Gotcha.” I took the offered hanky, wiping the blood from my nose. “Marvelous, a bloody nose and a headache in the Titanic. All we need is Jack and Rose to finally settle the door debate and my day will be perfect.”

The Doctor eyed me oddly. “When would Jack and Rose have needed to fit on a door?”

“In  _ Titanic _ .” I knew this movie existed here, I checked. Was he being deliberately idiotic?

“Yeah we’re in the Titanic, but Jack and Rose aren’t.” The Doctor explained, looking completely confused. “So what door debate?”

“...Doc Brown you know I’m talking about DiCaprio’s  _ Titanic _ , right?”

“...yes. Course I do. What else could you mean?” He lied, before pressing a button on the Comm unit. I laughed, my shoulders shaking. “Deck twenty two to the bridge. Deck twenty two to the bridge. Is there anyone there?” The Doctor called out. 

“ _ This is the bridge.” _

It hurt so badly, to hold back the urge to shout  _ ‘Allons-y Alonso!’ _ This amount of restraint made a physical ache in my chest. 

“Oh hello, sailor.” The Doctor greeted. I leaned against the wall, brushing dirt and ash off my dress. “Good to hear you. What’s the situation up there?”

“ _ We’ve got air. The oxygen field is holding, but the Captain, he’s dead.”  _ Alonso reported, breathing heavy and panicked. “ _ He did it. I watched while he took down the shields. There was nothing I could do. I tried. I did try.” _

“All right. Just stay calm.” The Doctor assured him. He sounded so sure...it was easy to stay calm for him. “Tell me your name. What’s your name?”

“ _ Midshipman Frame.” _

“Nice to meet you, sir. What’s the state of the engines?” The Doctor asked.

_ “They’re er. Hold on.”  _ Alonso made a shout of pain. “ _ Oh!” _

“Have you been injured?” The Doctor asked, concerned.

_ “I’m all right.”  _ Alonso dismissed. “ _ Oh, my Vot. They’re cycling down.” _

The Doctor ran his hand down his face. “That’s a nuclear storm drive, yes?”

“ _ Yeah.” _

“Oh crabapples.” I huffed, wiping the hanky on my face again. “We’ll start falling when that goes.”

“ _ The planet.”  _ Alonso realized.

“Oh, yes. If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm explodes and wipes out life on Earth.” The Doctor explained.  _ ‘Doc this can’t be a coincidence. A Chief Steward covering up every issue, a Captain purposefully putting shields down, this ship was meant to go down.’ _

_ ‘I know.’ _ The Doctor didn’t sound at all happy about it.  _ ‘Which is why we need to be fast, and cautious. There’s no telling what else here can kill us.’ _

_ ‘Understood.’ _

“Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine containment field and feed it back into the core.”

_ “This is never going to work.” _

“Trust me, it’ll keep the engines going until Terra and I can get to the bridge.” The Doctor replied. He hung off the comms.

“We’re going to die.” Foon bemoaned. 

“Are you saying someone’s done this on purpose?” Copper questioned.

Everyone else started up with questions. All of them talking at once. Over each other, their words just blended together.

I took a breath-

_ ‘Terra you can’t.’ _

_ ‘Doctor it’s fine. I’ve been doing it all day-’ _

_ ‘Yes I can tell, your nose is already bleeding.’ _

I brought the borrowed hanky back to my nose. When it came back, there was indeed a new spot of blood. 

_ ‘Fine.’ _

“Okay, okay. Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush.” The Doctor managed to get them quiet. I would’ve done it better, just saying. “First things first. One. We are going to climb through this ship. B. No. Two. We’re going to reach the bridge. Three. Or C. We’re going to save the Titanic. And, coming in a very low four, or D, or that little IV in brackets they use in footnotes. Right then, follow me.”

“Hang on a minute. Who put you in charge and who the hell are you anyway?” Slade demanded an answer.

_ Well since he was so nice about it... _

The Doctor and I took dramatic stances in front of the group. Both of us framed by the fire behind us, the smell of smoke was heavy in the air. 

“I’m the Doctor.”

“I’m Terra. We’re Time Lords.”

“We’re from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I’m nine hundred and three years old-”

“I’m one hundred eighty-three-”

“We’re the people who’re going to save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below. You got a problem with that?” The Doctor challenged.

Slade gulped. “No.”

“In that case, allons-y!”

==MGCB==

The Doctor pushed open the door. I followed behind, leading the crowd. 

“Careful. Follow me.” The Doctor cautioned. 

Once we made it in, we saw the stairs. They were covered in debris. Heavy metal beams were blocking the path. The whole thing was a maze. 

“Rather ironic, but this is very much in the spirit of Christmas.” Copper told everyone. As we climbed the stairs, the Doctor and I cleared what we could without collapsing everything. “It’s a festival of violence. They say that human beings only survive depending on whether they’ve been good or bad. It’s barbaric.”

“No, it’s only barbaric if you have bad relatives!” I argued. “Christmas is a time of peace, love, and togetherness-”

“Oh come on, Terra, our Christmases are always like this.” The Doctor pointed out.

He had a good point. My Christmasees were always like that too. Not usually aliens, sometimes it was murderers and stuff. My last Christmas before  _ Doctor Who  _ was in 1863, working to help Union soldiers in the Civil War. The Christmas before that I was visiting a house full of bugs. 

But those were way less chaotic than alien filled Christmases. 

“Yeah but like...non London Christmasses are like that.” I countered.

The Doctor cleared away another metal board. It revealed a Host. I flinched back.

“We’ve got a Host. Strength of ten.” The Doctor glanced up the stairs. They were even more cluttered than our path behind. “If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble.”

“We can do robotics. Both of us.” Morvin volunteered.

“We work on the milk market back on Sto. It’s all robot staff.” Foon added.

“Positivity! I love it!” I cheered. “Let’s bring the Van Hoffs up here!”

“You heard the lady, let’s clear the path!” The Doctor instructed. 

Carefully as could be, everyone- minus Slade- helped clear enough metal for us to walk through. The Van Hoffs could reach the Host with ease. 

I almost started to help repair it. I fixed up one kind of murder-bot, not looking to make another. Stopping it would be a delight, especially if we could clear the path enough for everyone to escape.

_ But if you could choose, Doctor, if you decide who lives and who dies, that would make you a monster. _

Fuck that, I had three years of  _ that _ . Not a chance I was losing anyone else today. No way, no how. People would be saved, Author-dammit!

“It’s blocked.” Astrid noted.

“So what do we do?” The Doctor quizzed.

“We shift it.”

“That’s the attitude.” The Doctor cheered. He leaned back to look on the group. “Rickston, Mr Copper, and you, Bannakaffalatta. Look, can I just call you Banna? It’s going to save a lot of time.”

“No. Bannakaffalatta.” He insisted.

“It’s his name. Show some respect for the man.” I chided. “Bannakaffalatta would you like to go first?”

Bannakaffalatta agreed. He knelt down to crawl out “Easy. Good.”

“Slowly!” I cautioned. 

Bannakaffalatta nodded. He moved in between the gap in the hall. He made it halfway. The ship itself shifted again. Everything in the stairs shook, rattling our delicately balanced tunnel. 

“This whole thing could come crashing down any minute.” Slade complained.

_ ‘I know you’re gonna say no, but can I kill him?’ _

_ ‘No.’ _

_ ‘I expected it and I’m still disappointed.’ _

“Oh, Rickston, I forgot. Did you get that message?” The Doctor asked.

“No. What message?” Spade asked. 

“Shut up!” The Doctor scolded.

_ And the world knew peace... _

“Bannakaffalatta made it.” Bannakaffalatta called back. 

“I’m small enough, I can get through.” Astrid volunteered.

“Careful.” The Doctor cautioned.

Astrid crawled through. I held up a beam, giving her as much room as possible. “I’m fine.”

“Thing is, how are Mr and Mrs Fatso going to get through that gap?” Slade asked.

I glared at him. “You’ve got arms, right? Start lifting!”

In a huff, Slade obeyed. Everyone besides the Van Hoffs worked happily.

_ ‘You didn’t kill him!’  _ The Doctor praised.

I was trying to listen in on the wholesome content of the Van Hoffs being happy and affirming to each other. Guess I had to talk with the Doctor while clearing debris.  _ ‘So you’re proud now that I’m a pacifier?’ _

_ ‘Pacifist, and yes I am. We can deal with him later.’ _

_ ‘He was rude to Astrid.’ _

_ ‘Like I said, later. People change in life altering situations.’ _

I grumbled. Here I was, the poster child for that. 

_ ‘They become better.’ _

_ ‘I didn’t.’ _ I argued before I could stop it.

The Doctor fumbled the beam in his hands. I had to move fast to catch it, move it back up to a safe position.

_ ‘You good?’ _

_ ‘Yes. I’m just curious-’ _

_ ‘That wasn’t an invitation to talk about things. We gotta clear the path.’ _

_ ‘I’m worried about my friend. You were there for me when Rose was gone, I see now I should’ve been checking with you too.’ _

_ ‘It was fine, I was fine.’ _

_ ‘You were hurting just like I was. I want to be there for you this time.’ _

_ ‘You wanna be here for me? Then help me hold this thing up.’ _

_ ‘I am holding it. I just want to talk about what you said about Martha-’ _

My hands loosened there hold on the beam. One hand tightened, the other moving to grab the Doctor’s arm.

_ ‘Okay- okay. No more talk of the companion. I get it.’  _

We heard laughter from down the hall. It broke up our serious conversation.

“What happened? Did they find a doughnut?” Slade mocked.

I glared over at him, not saying a word. 

“I can clear it from this side. Just tell me if it starts moving.” Astrid called down.

The Doctor started trying to lift up a different beam. I tried to help him ease it elsewhere, the weight too much. Copper helped me push it up the rest of the way.

_ ‘Are your Christmases ever normal?’ _

Last Christmas, I was trying to find survivors in an Australian city to save the Doctor’s life. Martha was busy moping about...I think it was seasonal depression. Nobody expected to celebrate Christmas like that. Still people sang quiet carols, some cooked hearty meals for people. There was Christmas spirit there. 

This place barely had any.

_ ‘Normal enough.’ _

_ ‘Yeah?’ _

_ ‘Yeah.’ _ I didn’t add anything.

_ ‘What were they like?’ _ The Doctor prompted.

Yep. I was done with this. “Astrid! What’s going on up there?”

“I think Bannakaffalatta and I just got engaged.” Astrid called back.

“Huzzah! Good things are happening!” I cheered. “How’s the moving of things?”

“Oh yes- I’m working on it!” Astrid replied.

_ ‘We’ll talk later.’ _

We both knew we wouldn’t. If avoiding emotional conversations was an olympic sport, we’d get the gold. 

==MGCB==

The Doctor walked over to a poster of Max. A quick flick of the sonic had it working for him again.

“Almost done!” Morvin called out.

My hearts were thumping so fast in my chest. 

“Good, good, good. Mr Frame, how’s things?” The Doctor asked. 

_ “Doctor, I’ve got life signs all over the ship but they’re going out one by one.” _ Alonso warned.

I shot up, running to the Van Hoffs

“What is it? Are they losing air?” The Doctor asked. 

“ _ No. One of them said it’s the Host. It’s something to do with the Host.” _

“It’s working!” Morvin cheered. “Terra, it’s ready-”

The Host pulled it’s head up. I put myself in front of the Van Hoffs, blocking them. 

“Kill.” The Host chanted.

The Host lashed out towards me. I grabbed the arms, trying to fight it back. 

“Turn it off!” The Doctor shouted.

Foon reached for some wires. The Host tightened hold on my arms. “I can’t, Doctor!”

“Kill. Kill. Kill.” The Host chanted.

“Get a new chant!” I hissed.

The Host moved to grab my neck. It was hurting my bowtie- the bastard. 

“Go!” The Doctor ran down. He pushed past the Van Hoffs to reach me. The Doctor hit the Host with the sonic. I was fruitlessly trying to pry it off my neck. It wasn’t able to squeeze, at least. “Double deadlock!”

“Just what we need!” I pushed at the hands again. They were off the bowtie so I scrambled to get out. The Doctor held an arm, pulling one to the side so I could really back out.

“Quickly, go upstairs!” The Doctor shouted for everyone.

“Run, darling, run!” Foon encouraged.

“Information. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.” The Host chanted. It started marching towards us.

“Foon! Foon!” Morvin pleaded.

“Slade, let them pass!” I called up.

“No chance.” Slade climbed through the gap, leaving everyone else behind.

“Rickston!” Copper exclaimed.

Foon whimpered. “I’ll never get through there.”

“Yes, you can. Let me go first.” Copper began to climb.

The Host swung at me. It missed- thank the Author. 

“Kill. Kill.” The Host chanted.

“It’s the Host, they’ve gone berserk.” The Doctor warned Frame over comms. “Are you safe up there?”

Foon was the first in the makeshift tunnel. “Now I’m stuck!”

“Come on, you can do it!” Astrid encouraged. She and Copper helped to clear the path. Everything shifted again.

“It’s going to collapse.” Copper warned everyone. “Rickston, vot damn it, help me.”

“No way.”

Even without him, Foon was able to make it through. Morvin went next. There was some more trouble as things shifted again.

“Come on, Morvin, you can do it!” I cheered on.

“Kill. Kill. Kill.”

“Doctor, Terra, he’s stuck!” Astrid told us.

The Doctor and I exchanged a look before turning to the stuck Morvin. His butt was sticking out from the collapsing tunnel.

“Mr van Hoff, I know we’ve only just met, but you’ll have to excuse us.” The Doctor explained before pressing his hands on Morvin’s backside. I helped, giving the large man a good push.

Morvin popped out, thankfully. 

“That’s it. We’ve got you.” Astrid told Morvin. “Terra, Doctor, come on, get through.”

I climbed through next. “I’ve got it.” Copper held the beam until I could get a hold on it, raising it up for the Doctor. Copper to a step back, ringing his hands.

The Doctor made it halfway before stopping. “Information override! You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure!”

“Information. Deck thirty one.” The Host answered.

“Thank you.” The Doctor climbed out the hole. I dropped the beam, blocking the Host’s path.

We made it through. I let out a breath of relief, straightening out my bowtie from the Host’s manhandling.

The Doctor came to me for a check-up. It was getting overbearing at this point. 

“I’m fine.” I told him.

The Doctor glanced at my neck. Did he think bruises were just going to be there already? 

“Morvin, look. Food.” Foon cheered. She and her husband rushed over to it.

Slade scoffed. “Oh great. Someone’s happy.”

“Don’t have any then.” Morvin snapped.

The Doctor walked me towards the comm. “Mr Frame, are you still there?”

Alonso made a grunt of pain as he answered. His gunshot wound ew _ “Yes, sir, but I’ve got Host outside. I’ve sealed the door.” _

“They’ve been programmed to kill. Why would anyone do that?” The Doctor asked.

“History says it’s because a madman programmed them to do it, and got rid of anyone he didn’t like.”

The Doctor looked at me with a concerned glance.

_“That’s not the only problem, Doctor. I had to use a maximum deadlock on the door, which means no one can get in. I’m sealed off. Even if you can fix the Titanic_ _you can’t get to the bridge.”_ Alonso revealed, like it was the biggest concern.

We could easily break in. That was the issue for later thought.

“Yeah, right, fine. One problem at a time. What’s on deck thirty one?” The Doctor asked.

_ “Er, that’s down below. It’s nothing. It’s just the Host storage deck. That’s where we keep the robots.” _

_ ‘Hey the robots are programmed to kill. No reason to check their programming deck, nah none at all. Let’s focus on the door we can’t open-’ _

_ ‘Terra you’re projecting.’ _

_ ‘...that was on purpose.’ _

_ ‘Your projection or the programming?’ _

_ ‘I plead the fifth.’ _

The Doctor checked the map of the ship. He brought out the glasses again. “Well, what’s that? Do you see that panel? Black. It’s registering nothing. No power, no heat, no light.”

“ _ I’ve never seen it before.”  _ Alonso admitted.

The Doctor “One hundred percent shielded. What’s down there?” The Doctor asked.

“ _ I’ll try intensifying the scanner.” _

“Let me know if you find anything. And keep those engines going.” The Doctor instructed. He ended the Comm line. He turned to me. “Any other paranoid ramblings?”

“Hey! My paranoid ramblings have saved our lives more than once!” I snapped, actually offended. 

“Nor everything is as bad as you make it.” The Doctor told me.

“Yeah! Sometimes it’s  _ worse!” _

_ Three years, Doctor, I was trapped with your best friend for  _ three years _. _

My paranoia has never been more active. Sure it may have gotten stuff wrong, caused more than a fair share of hallucinations and nightmares, is definitely turning me into an alcoholic, but it’s saved my skin for a lot of it.

The Master never really let me have peace. There was always something new he wanted to do to me. Always a new game to fuck with my head, or ruin an already tense situation. When I relieved  _ Doomsday,  _ he ‘helped’ by strapping me to my bed. All the time. I lost track of how long I was like that, only really noticing it ended when I was back on the work line.

He was constantly psychological fucking with me. He reminded me that I could leave whenever, that I was known in that time as able to get out of most situations. Then he reminded everyone I lived under his thumb...that they wouldn’t save me until Election Day. They didn’t notice I was gone...

I understood it. It made sense. Their timeline was further ahead than my own. All of it was my fault anyway. If my lonely suffering kept everyone safe, then that’s what I would do. It just never felt right, with the Master constantly exploiting it. It made protecting my friends feel wrong.

The Master was good like that. He made me doubt even basic facts about everything.

Astrid handed us plates of food. “Saved you some. You might be Time Kings from Gaddabee but you need to eat.”

“Yeah, thanks.” The Doctor replied. “Terra?”

I ignored him, looking around at the half destroyed corridor. Already I was thinking on how to fix things. 

“So, you look good for nine hundred and three.” Astrid complimented.

“You should see me in the mornings.” The Doctor remarked, taking a bite.

Astrid shrugged. “Okay.”

“Miss Astrid Peth, you are engaged.” I reminded her, picking at my sleeve.

“Doctor, Terra, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day.” Copper informed us.

“So it is. Merry Christmas.” The Doctor cheered. 

“Huzzah, Huzzah, welcome the Frabjous Day.” I cheered. It did nothing to cheer me up, a heavy frown was trying to fit on my face.

“This Christmas thing, what’s it all about?” Astrid asked.

“Long story. I should know, I was there. I got the last room.” The Doctor admitted.

“But if the planet’s waking up, can’t we signal them? They could send up a rocket or something.” Copper asked. 

“They don’t have spaceships.” The Doctor told him. 

“No, I read about it. They have shuffles. Space shuffles.” Copper explained.

“No, I’m sorry but I’m done. I can’t hear it anymore.” Standing up, I stared down at the man. “Mr Copper, King Wenceslas is a Christmas song, he does not currently rule the UK. Nobody worships Santa Claus-  _ Claus _ , like a legal clause, not  _ claws _ the shark nails- except for kids who want presents. Parents tell them if they’re good they get presents, bad they get coal. Nobody  _ dies _ ! They don’t war with Turkey. They eat turkeys- turkeys are  _ birds _ ! And tangerines, it’s weird. Beef is not the local delicacy-”

“Terra calm down-” The Doctor tried to interject.

“-I don’t know what it is, but it’s not beef. It’s Boxing Day, they don’t actually box they just- actually I don’t know what but it’s not fighting! Where did you even  _ get _ that degree, it’s useless!” I ranted, plopping down to push my hands in my face.

_ I was done. Just done. Things weren’t making sense and everything hurt. He was wrong. He was always wrong with the facts.  _

_ I’m done with that. I knew what was real. Nobody would try to trick me like that again. I wouldn’t let them.  _

“Sorry, Mr Copper. She’s just stressed-” The Doctor excused. He tried to rub on my back to assure me. It freaked me out so I flinched from it. The Doctor stopped.

“No. She’s right. My degree- it  _ is  _ useless. Between us, I didn’t get it from a university.” Copper admitted. “I got it from Mrs Golightly’s Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners.”

“You, you lied to the company to get the job?” Astrid asked.

“I wasted my life on Sto.” Copper explained. “I was a travelling salesman, always on the road, and I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home. And Earth sounded so exotic.”

“Hmm. I suppose it is, yeah.” The Doctor conceded.

“How come you know it so well?” Astrid asked us. “You and her?”

“We were sort of, a few years ago, we were sort of made, well, sort of homeless, and, um, there was the Earth.” The Doctor admitted.

“The thing is, if we survive this, there’ll be police and all sorts of investigations.” Copper reminded us. “Now the minimum penalty for space lane fraud is ten years in jail. I’m an old man. I won’t survive ten years.”

There was a bang from overhead. I jumped to my feet, running.

“A Host! Move! Come on!” The Doctor warned everyone else.

We ran into the next room. The engine room. A great big ball of fire sat down below us, the heat rising up to meet us. That made it very warm, which was very unfestive of the engine. 

“Is that the only way across?” Slade asked.

“On the other hand, it  _ is  _ a way across.” The Doctor explained.

“The engines are open.” Astrid realized.

The Doctor “Nuclear storm drive. As soon as it stops, the Titanic falls.”

“Doc Brown I don’t like agreeing with him, but that bridge isn’t gonna hold all of us.” I stated.

“Especially those two-”

“Doc Brown can I push him in?”

“Yeah, can she?” Morvin asked.

“You’re going last, mate.” Slade snarked.

“It’s nitrofin metal. It’s stronger than it looks.” The Doctor explained.

“All the same, Rickston’s right. Me and Foon should-” I grabbed his shoulder, pushing him back.

“It’s special metal, the ground is not.” I pointed to a piece of the floor that was bending down towards the engine. “The heat is melting all the other metal. We can’t risk anything.”

Morvin stared at the metal floor then glanced to the orange fireball below. He nodded, already starting to sweat. That was one life saved, I’m all the more relaxed for it. Now only to keep him alive, and everyone else. That would be a challenge. 

“We still need to cross.” The Doctor explained. 

“Hold on- I’ve got something that’ll speed things up!” I opened up the Bag. Setting it down in front of me, I searched it. “Is it that-no, maybe there? Also no. That’s a lunchbox, that’s a tire iron, that’s a reactor! Gotta get that back to Tony.”

“She’s an idiot.” Slade huffed. I pulled the reactor out, stuffing it in my pocket. “We don’t have time for this!”

“Oi! Button it.” The Doctor warned. 

“Got it!” I pulled up the top of the ladder.

“Doctor, Terra, I rather think that those things have got our scent.” Copper warned us.

Slade was bouncing in his step from fear. “I’m not waiting.” He moved towards the beam, forcing everyone to step back so they wouldn’t get bumped.

“Careful. Take it slowly!” The Doctor cautioned. “Terra you have a ladder in that?”

I pulled more of the ladder out. “Yeah. I used it to cross the Grand Canyon. This thing can handle a motorbike at top speed, but it was made to hold up a truck. It’ll handle all of us.”

The Doctor grinned. “You used a ladder to cross the Grand Canyon.”

“I got pictures too!” I smiled fondly at the memory. Martha thought I was gonna crash and die at least twice. Pulling out more of the ladder, I dropped it so it would go alongside the metal beam. The top of the ladder landed on a post, keeping it locked in a sort of safe position. The rest of the ladder was still jutting out from my Bag. It was a very funny sight gag. “Alright- Van Hoffs, you get to go first.”

Morvin nodded, thankful. As he placed a step down, the ship shook again. Slade fell from where he was, gripping tight to the beam to keep from dying.

“Oh, Vot help me.” Slade pleaded.

“You’re okay. A step at a time. Come on, you can do it.” The Doctor cautioned him.

We could hear a hoard of Hosts chanting. Metal footsteps walked up from the hall. The clang of their feet not unlike Cybermen. “Kill. Kill. Kill.”

“They’re getting nearer.” Copper warned.

The Doctor got the sonic. “Seal us in.” He rushed to our entrance door.

Morvin was halfway across the ladder. Slade just over halfway.

“You’re leaving us trapped, wouldn’t you say?” Copper noted.

“Never say  _ ‘trapped’ _ , just ‘ _ inconveniently circumstanced’ _ .” The Doctor replied.

“We could also say all those Hosts will be trapped with us, if that helps.” I offered. “Or that’s how it is in Mother Russia.”

“Oh.” Copper huffed, clearly not agreeing that any of our options made him feel less trapped. 

The beam heaved again. “I’m okay.” Slade called out.

“So am I!” Morvin called from the ladder. I kept the Bag still. The post on the other side kept it steady, but only if my Bag didn’t fly off. 

Slade finally made it across. “Yes. Oh. yes! Who’s good!” Slade cheered for himself. 

“Bannakaffalatta, you go next on the beam. Foon, you’re on the ladder.” The Doctor instructed.

“Bannakaffalatta small.” Bannakaffalatta agreed. He started rushing over.

I helped Foon onto the ladder. The rungs were a mess on the feet unless you properly balanced yourself.

“Slowly!” The Doctor cautioned them both.

Morvin cheered on his wife. “That’s it, love, that’s it! Come on. You can do it.” She smiled at him, careful making her way.

The Hosts began pounding on the door. Oh, they didn’t much like that, did they?

“They’ve found us.” Copper informed us.

“They already knew where we were.” I corrected. “If they can monitor our life signals, they can find us no trouble.”

“Really great, Terra, not what we need right now.” The Doctor told me. Foon and Bannakaffalatta made it halfway across their respective beams. “Astrid, get across right now.”

“What about you?” Astrid asked.

“Just do it.” The Doctor guided Copper to the ladder. “Go on. Mr Copper, we can’t wait.”

“No, but we-” Copper tried to point to the doors.

“Don’t argue.” He moved him to the ladder.

“Watch your steps!” I cautioned Copper. “The rungs are weird on the feet!” Copper nodded, walking carefully.

Morvin greeted his wife with excited kisses, hugging her tight to him. Foon laughed in relief. Slade- disgusted- tried to leave.

“Doctor? The door’s locked!” Slade yelled

“Terra, your turn.” The Doctor instructed.

“I need to make sure the Bag is steady. If it moves, Copper dies.” I told him.

“It’ll be fine. Just move.” The Doctor insisted.

“I’m not risking it.” I argued.

“Doctor, I can’t open the door. We need the whirling key thing of yours.” Slade ordered.

“I can’t leave her.” The Doctor nodded his head at me.

“She’ll get us all killed if we can’t get out.” Slade yelled.

The Doctor huffed in frustration. He looked at me, glaring. “Terra-”

“We saved the yelling for later. Just go!” I told him.

He gave me a long standing stare. He seemed to be fighting an internal desire to just pick me up, throw me over his shoulder, then drag me across the beam. He knew I was right about the Bag though. “Terra Johnson, I am coming back for you. Alright?”

I nodded at him.

The Doctor walked on the ladder, following after Copper. Two people per beam. Already this was going much smoother than in the show. That was good. This I could work with. This was the sort of thing that I flourished in. This was something the Master could never take from me.

Saving people, just by being me.

I saved Tom Milligan, just by walking out first, by using the Master’s need for violence against him. I saved Lucy from being used in  _ End of Time _ just by making the Haven possible. I saved the Van Hoffs by being willing to do deadly stunts over national treasures.

The ship shook again. The beam shook, creaking heavily. The floor around me shook. I gripped the Bag tightly to keep it still. 

“It’s going to fall.” Astrid cautioned as she and Bannakaffalatta crossed the halfway point.

“It’s just settling. Keep going.” The Doctor cautioned.

The pounding on the door stopped. Everyone noticed. 

“They’ve stopped.” Astrid gasped in relief. 

“Gone away?” Bannakaffalatta asked.

“Why would they give up?” The Doctor asked me.

“Never mind that. Keep coming.” Slade ordered.

“When a door closes, a window opens!” I told him.

The Doctor shook his head. “Once again, not making sense.”

“ _ Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains _

“I think I get it.” Copper pointed upwards. “I’m afraid we’ve forgotten the traditions of Christmas. That angels have wings!”

Up above it all, the Hosts began to descend. They had no wings. It looked like they were falling slowly, with style. 

“Information. Kill.” The Hosts all chanted. They lifted off their haloes. All of them began to glare brightly.

“Arm yourself, all of you.” The Doctor yelled.

I would’ve grabbed something from the Bag, if it wasn’t being used for the ladder. The Doctor and Copper were able to grab stuff from the beam, reaching over the short distance. Bannakaffalatta and Astrid strained for a moment, getting something. Still, I had very little. I sat down on the Bag, grabbing instead the loose fencing that was meant to kill Morvin.

The Angels kept throwing things at us. It annoyed me, really well and truly annoyed me. They had to know I was shite at baseball. And softball. And just about everything else. Dammit.

The Doctor cried out in pain. Copper did as well. My improvised bat flew off after a really strong hit.

“Bannakaffalatta stop.”

_ Shit shit FUCK _

“Bannakaffalatta proud. Bannakaffalatta cyborg!” Bannakaffalatta ripped off his shirt, a large EMP going off. 

_ You know what? I hope I save him. I hope I do that so whatever fucking Author is writing this has to write Bannakaffalatta for the rest of this episode. I hope they don’t even have autocorrect or copy/paste. _

_ If I suffer, so must they. _

The EMP reached the Hosts. They twitched, sparks flying. They fell towards the ground. Some landing on the engine core. One landed at my ladder, giving me a bumpy ride on the Bag.

I wasted no time. As Astrid crawled to Bannakaffalatta, I grabbed the Host and dragged it back. I tore off the back dress, reaching for the wires and such. The reactor was pulled out from my pocket, I tire into the thing.

“Electromagnetic pulse took out the robotics. Oh, Bannakaffalatta, that was brilliant!” The Doctor praised. 

“He’s used all his power.” Astrid fretted.

I twisted the wires about, reaching for a fallen Halo. 

“Did good?” Bannakaffalatta asked.

“You saved our lives.” Astrid praised, holding the small cyborg. 

_ Almost there... _

“Bannakaffalatta happy.” Bannakaffalatta sighed.

_ Nearly done... _

“We can recharge you. Get you to a power point and just plug you in.” Astrid pleaded.

_ DONE! _

“Astrid catch!” I attached the device to a halo, flinging it towards them. 

Astrid caught it. “What is it-”

“ATTACH IT!” I yelled.

Astrid quickly pressed it to Bannakaffalatta’s chest. He grabbed it, pressing to his EMP transmitter. I held my breath until Bannakaffalatta gasped.

Bannakaffalatta and Astrid laughed. 

_ Fucking deal with it Author _

The Doctor smiled at me. I smiled back.

“There. Now you can get me that drink, remember?” Astrid laughed in relief.

“Pretty girl.” Bannakaffalatta agreed. 

“What did you do?” Copper asked.

“That thing was a power core for a- well it was a cyborg thing. Full of gamma radiation- only toxic for humans. Tweaked it a bit to better suit him. There should be enough residual power in that to work for Bannakaffalatta until we get him to a power station.” I explained.

Copper looked over. “That’s perfect! If we can recharge his EMP transmitter, we can use it as a weapon against the rest of the Host. Bannakaffalatta, sir, you might have saved us all.”

Bannakaffalatta smiled, holding up a thumb at him. 

“Do you think? Try telling  _ him _ that.” Spade pointed to the Host in front of me.

It lifted it’s head. “Information. Reboot.”

I tried to shift it off the side. It kicked the leg, sending me back. 

“Terra!”

“I’m okie dokie!”

“Override loophole!” The Doctor yelled. The Host started to stand. It stomped on the rungs, moving forward. “Security protocol ten. Six six six. Er, twenty one, four, five, six, seven, eight. I don’t know, forty two?”

“1!” I yelled.

The Host froze.

The Doctor pouted. “Really?” The Host moved so it was facing me.

“There weren’t any left!” I excused.

“Information. State request.” The Host requested. 

“Good. Right.” The Doctor eyed the Host with a healthy amount of caution. “You’ve been ordered to kill the survivors, but why?”

The Host was quiet.

“Terra, you ask it!” The Doctor ordered.

“Host. Why are you killing survivors?” I asked.

“Information. No witnesses.” The Host answered.

“But this ship’s going to fall on the Earth and kill everyone.” The Doctor stated. “The human race have nothing to do with the Titanic, so that contravenes your orders, yes?”

Silence.

The Doctor huffed. 

“The humans of Earth aren’t witnesses, and if this ship fails it’ll crush and burn, killing everyone in a fiery blaze of no glory. So that means it’s against base programming, yeah?”

“Information. Incorrect.”

_ ‘Ask him why they want to destroy the Earth.’ _ The Doctor told me.

“But why do you want to destroy the Earth?” I asked.

“Information. It is the plan.” The Host answered. 

“Plans, why is it always plans?”

_ ‘Ask what plan?’ _

“Information.” The Host began. “Protocol grants you only three questions. These three questions have been used.”

“Well, you could have warned us.” The Doctor pointed out.

“It’ll be in the bug report.” I gave the Doctor a thumb’s up.

“Information. Now you will die.” The Host raised it’s hands. It started marching towards me.

I leapt back, grabbing the rope Foon would’ve used. 

“Terra!” The Doctor exclaimed.

Tying the rope in a lasso, I held it tight. The Host grabbed me from behind. I pressed my weight against it, raising my legs up to kick the wall. The Host stumbled back on the exact thing that killed Morvin in the show.

The floor gave way.

“NO!” The Doctor cried out.

The Host considered its job complete. It let go of my arms. I threw the rope. The Doctor caught the other end. The Host was already too far to grab me back.

I could feel the heat from the engine on my feet. 

The Doctor ushered everyone down their beams. Once there he pulled me up. I climbed the rope. It was giving my rope burn holding so tight. 

Safely on the ground, the Doctor pulled me in for a hug. For his sake- and a tiny bit because I almost died- I let the hug go on.

“No more.” The Doctor’s voice sent chills down my spine. He was hugging me so tight. He wasn’t loosening his hold, gave no impression he ever would loosen it.

The words themselves made me feel so cold. They were a discomforting kind of foreboding. They didn’t encourage good things. It reminded me of  _ Time Lord Victorious _ , of the fear I felt the first time watching it. Probably the same fear I would have in my next viewing. 

He scared me.

He  _ was  _ scaring me.

But he was also the only thing helping me feel safe.

Time Lords, experts in paradoxes. 

==MGCB==

Apparently nearly watching me die was enough to activate the Oncoming Storm. The Doctor was storming through the corridors, our group scrambling behind him to keep up. The Doctor made sure I followed by keeping a firm hold of my hand.

He hadn’t let go since our hug. 

“Right. Get yourself up to Reception One. Once you’re there, Mr Copper, you’ve got staff access to the computer. Try to find a way of transmitting an SOS.” The Doctor instructed. “Bannakaffalatta, Astrid, go charge that EMP. Once it’s powered up, it’ll take out a Host within fifty yards but then it needs sixty seconds to recharge. Got it? Morvin, take this.” The Doctor passed him the sonic. “I’ve preset it. Just hold down that button, it’ll open doors. Do not lose it! You got that? Now go and open the next door, take Foon and Rickston with you.”

Morvin nodded. He took his wife by the hand, walking around us. Rickston followed, looking ever so petulant.

I pulled the first aid kit off the wall. Before I could hand it over, the Doctor grabbed it. 

“Mr Copper, you’re going to need this. I need you fighting fit. Astrid, where’s the power points?” The Doctor asked. 

“Under the comms.” Astrid explained.

The four of us ran over to it. Bannakaffalatta and Astrid knelt down. They popped out the old ARC reactor, connecting Bannakaffalatta to the power point. Astrid handed the reactor to me, I slipped it back in my Bag. Tony might actually want that back. 

“See, when it’s ready that blue light comes on there.” The Doctor explained. 

“Bannakaffalatta know how.” He reminded the Doctor. 

“It  _ is  _ his body after all.” I agreed.

“Right yes, of course.” The Doctor squeezed my hand. This was getting uncomfortable. His hand was squeezing so tight. It was grating. It was fine at first, now it was causing problems.

“You’re talking as if you’re not coming with us.” Astrid noted.

“There’s something down on deck thirty one. We’re going to find out what it is.” The Doctor stated.

“What if you meet a Host?” Astrid asked. 

His hand tightened on mine. I put on my perfect American Girl doll smile.

“Well, then we’ll just have some fun.” The Doctor replied easily. 

“Sounds like you do this kind of thing all the time.” Astrid noted.

“Not by choice. All we do is travel. That’s what we are. Just travellers.” The Doctor explained. “Imagine it. No tax, no bills, no boss. Just the open sky.” 

“Bannakaffalatta says fun.” Bannakaffalatta agreed.

“I’m sort of unemployed now.” Astrid reminded us. “I was thinking the blue box is kind of small, but Bannakaffalatta and I could squeeze in it, like a stowaway.”

“It’s not always safe.” The Doctor cautioned them both. 

“This stuff really does happen  _ all the time _ .” I told her.

“So you need some company.” Astrid explained. “It must be lonely with just the two of you.”

“Bannakaffalatta want to come. Cyborgs not much loved here. No home too.” Bannakaffalatta admitted.

“I’ve got no one back on Sto. No family, just me. So what do you think? Can we come with you?” Astrid asked.

The Doctor looked at me.  _ ‘Well?’ _

_ ‘I mean...they are tugging on my hearts strings something fierce.’ _

_ ‘So that’s a yes?’ _

_ ‘I mean, if they really wanted it.’ _

“Yeah, we’d like that. Yes.” The Doctor confirmed. 

“Terra?” Astrid prompted.

My fake smile was still there. I wanted Donna to join next. Well, if Astrid and Bannakaffalatta stayed for a while that would be fine too. “It’s fine, you can come.”

The ship shifted again. The Doctor squeezed my hand again. We both got up to our feet. Lucky we were already at comms. The Doctor pushed a button. 

“Mr Frame, you still with us?” The Doctor asked. 

“ _ It’s the engines, sir.”  _ Alonso reported. “ _ Final phase. There’s nothing more I can do. We’ve got only eight minutes left.” _

“Don’t worry, we’ll get there.” The Doctor promised. 

“ _ But the bridge is sealed off.” _

“Yeah, yeah, working on it.” The Doctor replied. “We’ll get there, Mr Frame, somehow. All charged up?”

Bannakaffalatta nodded. 

“Good. Mr Copper! You and Bannakaffalatta look after Astrid. Astrid look after both of them. Van Hoff’s look after each other. Rickston, er, look after yourself. And we’ll see you again, we promise.”

“Fingers crossed! Wait no...that means something different...uh...oh! Oh! Cross our hearts!” I encouraged. 

As the Doctor and I left-him still keeping a too tight grip on my hand that I wasn’t too excited about-

“Hold on! There’s an old tradition on Planet Sto.” Astrid began. 

“We have really got to go.” The Doctor explained. 

“Just wait a minute.” Astrid grabbed the first aid kit from Copper. She placed it on the ground in front of the Doctor.

Then kissed him.

Cause that’s what everyone does apparently.

That’s all everyone wants. To kiss the fucking Doctor. Never mind that there is someone perfectly capable of loving them standing right there by their side and is always willing to be there, they choose the Doctor.

Whatever.

I’m fine with it. It doesn’t matter.

It got my hand free, so it’s fine.

“Yeah, that’s a, ahem, very old tradition, yeah.” The Doctor swallowed.

“See you later.” Astrid waved him off.

The Doctor grinned. “Oh, yes!” He reached for my hand.

I just started running. 

My Bag was still back there. I would get it back or burn this ship to its core.

==MGCB==

“Terra!”

“I’m right in front of you!”

I tossed the ladder back up. It slid down into the Bag. As I ran across the beam, it was easy work to get my Bag back. 

The Doctor was giving me a disapproving stare when he made it across. “Come on!”

“Coming!”

As we ran back the way we came, we saw more and more Hosts popping up. They cornered us in the kitchen. I raised my Bag for attack, the Doctor grabbed a frying pan. 

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Security protocol one. Do you hear me? One. One!” The Doctor yelled. 

The Hosts all stopped. They stood at ‘prayer’ positions.

_ ‘Okay. We gotta be smart about this.’ _

_ ‘We’ve got three questions. Three questions to save our lives.’ _

_ ‘Right...what do we ask?’ _

“Oh we should’ve thought of that.”

“Yeah we should’ve.” I huffed. “We’re stowaways, can we work with that?”

“Oh yes! We can!” The Doctor turned to the Hosts. “So, you’ve been given orders to kill the survivors but survivors must therefore be passengers or staff, but not us. We’re not passengers. We’re not staff. Go on, scan us.”

I held out my arms. 

“You must have bio-records. No such people on board. We don’t exist, therefore you can’t kill us. Therefore, we’re stowaways, and stowaways should be arrested and taken to the nearest figure of authority. And I reckon the nearest figure of authority is on deck thirty one. First and  _ final  _ question. Am I right?”

“Information. Correct.”

“Brilliant. Take me to your leader.” The Doctor grinned at me. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

“Take me to your leader!” I copied. 

==MGCB==

Deck 31 was not much better than rubble. I still managed to avoid tripping on debris. 

“Wow. Now that is what you call a fixer upper.” The Doctor joked. “Come on then, Host with the most, this ultimate authority of yours. Who is it?”

A set of doors opened ahead. 

“Oh, that’s clever.” The Doctor praised. “Terra, that’s an omnistate impact chamber. Indestructible. You can survive anything in there. Sit through a supernova. Or a shipwreck. Only one person can have the power and the money to hide themselves on board like this and I should know, because-”

“My name is  _ Max _ .” His gold tooth glinted. I’m standing here watching it with no idea how it did that.

The Doctor hummed. “It really does that.”

“I was wrong about it being a gag. It’s still weird though.” I commented. 

“Oh agreed.”

“Who the hell are these?” Capricorn snapped at the Hosts.

“I’m the Doctor. Hello.” The Doctor waved.

“Terra Johnson, aloha.” I curtsied.

A Host stepped forward. “Information. Stowaways.” 

The Doctor clicked his tongue. “Well.”

“Whoopsies!”

Capricorn rolled his eyes. “Kill them.”

“Not it!” I moved my pointed finger to my nose, holding it there. 

“Oh, no, no, no. Wait, but you can’t. Not now.” The Doctor cautioned. “Come on, Max. You’ve given us so much good material like, how to get a _ head _ in business.”

I giggled, moving my arm to clutch my stomach as I laughed.

“See? Head? Head in business? No?” The Doctor asked the silent Hosts and Capricorn.

“That joke is a real  _ head _ scratcher.” I giggled. “It was a  _ head  _ of its time.”

The Doctor laughed with me. 

“Oh, ho, ho, the office jokers. I like funny people.” Capricorn remarked. “No one’s been funny with me for years.”

“I can’t think why.” The Doctor replied. 

“You seem so delightful, and not a megalomaniac.” I added. “Is it because you’re the boss? I bet it’s cause you’re the boss.”

“A hundred and seventy six years of running the company have taken their toll.” Capricorn explained. 

“Yeah but, nice wheels.” The Doctor pointed out. 

“Can it go  _ zoom _ on the race track?!” I asked, excitedly bouncing up in the air.

“No, a life support system, in a society that despises cyborgs.” Capricorn snapped at us. “I’ve had to hide away for years, running the company by hologram. Host, situation report.”

“Information. Titanic is still in orbit.” A Host reported.

“Let me see.” Capricorn demanded. He drove the bright red square support system forward. The Doctor and I stepped to the side as he drove up to the railing. “We should have crashed by now. What’s gone wrong? The engines are still running! They should have stopped!”

The body was mostly metal. That head was still human, still capable of thought. That was something I could work with.

_ ‘Don’t notice me.’ _ My head started whirling. A woozy feeling came over me like I drank too many bottles of wine.  _ ‘I’m not even here. It’s just the Doctor.’ _

I could feel the blood from my nose this time. It didn’t matter to me. Saving Astrid and the Doctor did.

That was how I could be useful. That was how I could be helpful. That was the only reason I was around, to help people, to save them. It could redeem me. This was my chance to make things right.

I was done being a screwup.

Let people like Copper call me a monster.

They didn’t know what  _ real _ monsters were like.

“When they do, the Earth gets roasted.” The Doctor reminded Capricorn. “I don’t understand. What’s the Earth got to do with it?”

“This interview is terminated.” Capricorn snapped.

As I snuck off, invisible to the Doctor and Capricorn, I searched the area. There was a clear path to the forklift. There wasn’t any sign of Astrid. Maybe with me just being here, she thought the Doctor wasn’t alone. Was my helping upstairs convince her we could handle it?

Donna had seen that same thing with the Doctor and I. She still told us to get a friend.

_ Fuck I can’t wait for her. _

“No. No, no, no, no, no. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I can work it out.” The Doctor interrupted. I kept sneaking towards the forklift. “It’s like a task. I’m your apprentice. Just watch me. So, business is failing and you wreck the ship so that makes things even worse. Oh,  _ yes _ ! No.  _ Yes _ . The business isn’t failing, it’s  _ failed _ . Past tense.”

“My own board voted me out. Stabbed me in the back.” Capricorn admitted, sneering. 

“If you had a back.” The Doctor joked quickly before stumbling into the rest of his rant. I sent him a mental giggle, my nose dripping for it. “So, you scupper the ship, wipe out any survivors just in case anyone’s rumbled you and the board find their shares halved in value. Oh, but that’s not enough. No. Because if a  _ Max Capricorn _ ship hits the Earth, it destroys an entire planet. Outrage back home. Scandal! The business is  _ wiped out. _ ”

“And the whole board thrown in jail for mass murder.” Capricorn confirmed.

“While you sit there, safe inside the impact chamber.” The Doctor sneered at the cyborg, disgusted. 

Capricorn “I have men waiting to retrieve me from the ruins and enough off-world accounts to retire me to the beaches of Penhaxico Two, where the ladies, so I’m told, are very fond of metal.” Capricorn chuckled. 

It made me shiver in disgust. Not to link shame cyborg fuckers- (we all had a crush on Cybirg from  _ Teen Titans, _ don’t deny it.)- but I will kink shame anyone that wants to fuck  _ that _ .

Not even my sister would touch  _ him _ . Author’s Byline, I hope not. Her entire status as my sister would be under question. 

“So that’s the plan. A retirement plan. Two thousand people on this ship, six billion underneath us, all of them slaughtered, and why? Because Max Capricorn is a  _ loser _ .” The Doctor frowned on disgust.

Capricorn glared. “I  _ never _ lose.”

“You can’t even sink the  _ Titanic _ .”

“Oh, but I can, Doctor. I can cancel the engines from here.” Capricorn revealed.

On cue, the ship began to shake. I stumbled in my steps. There was a crate I grabbed onto, balancing myself. 

I lifted the blood spotted hanky to my nose again. 

“You can’t do this!” The Doctor yelled.

_ ‘Terra. Terra where are you?!’ _

_ ‘Shh!’ _

“Host, hold him.” Capricorn ordered. 

_ ‘Terra what did you do!’ _

_ ‘I said SHH!’ _

“Not so clever now, Doctor.” Capricorn taunted.

I climbed into the forklift. 

“A shame we couldn’t work together. You’re rather good. All that banter yet not a word wasted. Time for me to retire.” Capricorn decided. “The  _ Titanic _ is falling. The sky will burn. Let the Christmas inferno commence. Oh. Oh, Host. Kill him.”

_ ‘Lookie lookie, Maxie!’ _

Capricorn’s head twitched. “What was that? Who spoke?”

“Hey!”

The Doctor and Capricorn turned towards me. The Doctor’s eyes went wide in panic. 

“You don’t get to kill my friend!” I yelled, pressing down on the gas.

“Terra don’t!” The Doctor yelled.

I collided with Capricorn’s cyborg body. He glared up at me, trying to shake me. Not that I would give in, even for a second. A Host threw a halo at me, exactly what I was waiting for.

“He’s cut the brake line!” The Doctor yelled in dismay.

I grinned. Capricorn’s confidence shook. A hefty lever pull had the forklift rising. It lifted Capricorn up. He watched in panic. Without his body as a counter, the forklift was propelled forward.

“Terra!” The Doctor screamed.

As the forklift went over the edge, I climbed out from the seat. Using the Bag I flung it up. It wrung on a half collapsed pole, stuck on like the ladder had been on that post. It held me up.

The Doctor- leaning over the railing- followed the forklift. “No!”

_ ‘Alice fell down the rabbithole’ _

The Doctor looked towards me, dangling over the edge by my Bag. I smiled up at him.

“Mind helping Alice up?” I asked him.

He started laughing.

“That wasn’t an answer.”

The Doctor rushed over. He pulled up the Bag handle. I hung on tight, trying to climb up like Mulan did. As soon as I had solid footing, the Doctor pulled me into a hug.

This one felt earned, so it was better.

No- it was  _ best. _

_ “Titanic falling. Voyage terminated. Voyage terminated.” _

“Terra I think it’s time we met the Midshipman.” The Doctor suggested.

“Doctor let our Hosts lead the way.” I agreed.

Four Hosts came over to us, each grabbing an arm. They lifted us up into the sky.

==MGCB==

We crashed into the bridge. It was the hottest entrance.

_ (Get it? Cause everything was on fire.) _

_ “Deadlock broken.”  _ The computer helpfully reported.

“Ah, Midshipman Frame. At last.” The Doctor cheered as the Hosts let him go.

I hopped down, watching over to the Midshipman. “That’s the Doctor, he’s useless with medicine. I’m Terra. I can give you a bandaid.” I knelt by his side. Reaching into my Bag, I searched for the basic human repair kit. My sister and I used this a lot.

“Er, but, but the Host.” Alonso pointed to the Hosts.

“Controller dead, they divert to the next highest authority, and that’s me.” The Doctor explained.

“He’s very demanding. Shirt up.” I instructed.

Alonso did as requested. “Umm...your nose is bleeding.”

“Oh! Whoopsie.” I grabbed another alcohol wipe, brushing off my blood lip. 

“There’s nothing we can do.” Alonso told 

“Mind the sting.” I warned.

Alonso barely winced as I dabbed a new alcohol wipe on his gunshot wound..

“There’s no power. The ship’s going to fall.” Alonso told the Doctor.

_ “Titanic falling.” _

“What’s your first name?” The Doctor asked.

I slapped the bandage onto his side. It had a smiley face on it.

“Alonso.”

“Oh it must be Christmas!” I cheered. “There’s a new Floaty!”

_ “Titanic falling.” _

“You’re kidding me.” The Doctor continued to stare at Alonso in astonishment.

“What?” Alonso asked, lowering his shirt.

“No the floaty is right here.” Standing up, I picked up the floaty. There was fire on it, so I put it out.”

“That’s something else I’ve always wanted to say.” The Doctor grabbed the steering wheel. “Allons-y, Alonso. Whoa!”

I cheered with him, holding the floaty to my chest. The Doctor worked to keep the ship from crashing, trying to steer it away. I barely understood what was going on. My head was spinning from the past ten minutes.

The Doctor reached for the comm system. “Oh. Hello, yes. Could you get me Buckingham Palace?”

I stuffed the floaty into my Bag. Alonso eyed me in confusion. I smiled down at him- a genuine smile this time. “He’s always wanted to meet someone named Alonso. You’ve made his whole Christmas!” I shouted.

“Listen to me. Security code seven seven one. Now get out of there!” The Doctor shouted at the comms.

As we got closer and closer, the Doctor was trying to steer us in a new direction. I stood up, grabbing the command system while hoping not to die.

Then we dodged Buckingham Palace. 

All three of us cheered.

“Used the heat of reentry to fire up the secondary storm drive. Unsinkable, that’s me.” The Doctor explained cheerily.

“We made it.”

“Hard to believe it, but we did!” I cheered, clapping Alonso on the shoulder. “All the ladies and giants and Bannakaffalatta!”

The Doctor pulled me in for another hug.

==MGCB==

“Morvin, sonic!” The Doctor called out.

The man threw the sonic over. The Doctor caught it.

“Ahh...I wanted to grab it.” I pouted.

“I know you did.” The Doctor replied. “Which is why I grabbed it first.”

“Yeah but I wanted to grab it first.”

“Why?”

“I thought we were playing catch. Is that not what’s happening?”

Everyone laughed. Astrid standing closer to Bannakafalatta, while the Van Hoffs were smiling lovingly at each other. 

Astrid said something to Bannakaffalatta. She walked over to us. 

We smiled at her. 

“So...” She glanced back to Bannakaffalatta.

“You talked about it, and decided it was worth a chance?” I reasoned.

She smiled. “Actually...you made Earth sound so amazing. I remember seeing that starless sky and...Bannakaffalatta liked it too. We decided to try out life on Earth.”

“Yeah?” The Doctor asked. 

Astrid nodded.

“Then we hope you two have a happy life.” The Doctor praised.

Astrid smiled, thankful. She skipped back to her fiancé. Fiancé to be fiancé?

Alonso walked over to Copper. “The engines have stabilised. We’re holding steady till we get help, and I’ve sent the SOS. A rescue ship should be here within twenty minutes. And they’re digging out the records on Max Capricorn. It should be quite a story.”

“They’ll want to talk to all of us, I suppose.” Copper mused.

“I’d have thought so, yeah.” Alonso agreed.

“I think one or two inconvenient truths might come to light.” Copper admitted. “Still, it’s my own fault, and ten years in jail is better than dying.”

The Doctor and I exchanged a glance.

_ ‘We’re bringing him down too, yeah?’ _

_ ‘It goes against the spirit of Christmas, but I think we should.’ _ The Doctor grinned.  _ ‘After- we’ll talk about you becoming so jeopardy friendly.’ _

_ ‘Hello, I’m the Doctor and I like to jump off ledges! Hello I’m the Doctor and I don’t like driving. Hello I’m the Doctor, why are you a murderer?’ _

_ ‘Okay but you’re worse.’ _

_ ‘Hello I’m the Doctor and I like-’ _

“We  _ are _ going to have that talk.” The Doctor told me.

My smile was crooked, unable to hide my discomfort at being caught.

“Doctor, Terra, I never said thank you.” Slade walked up to us both. I grimaced at him. “The funny thing is, I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I sold all my shares, transferred them to his rivals. It’s made me rich. What do you think of that?”

_ ‘I never got to kick him.’ _

_ ‘You still have a chance.’ _

_ ‘Really?!’ _

Slade’s vone buzzed. “Salvain. Those shares. I want them triple bonded and locked.”

I kicked his shen.

“Ow! Hey!” Slade complained.

“My leg twitched by accident.”

“Yep. It’s a common thing for her.” The Doctor excused, sticking by my side in solidarity.

Slade glared at us, disgusted. He stormed off, still happily chatting on the vone.

The Doctor walked over to the transporter podium. He picked up a handful of teleport bracelets. “Mr Copper, I think you deserve one of these.”

==MGCB==

We got the three of them settled on Earth. Thanks to Copper having no concept of Earth funds, he gave himself a million pounds. We were even able to get Bannakaffalatta a filter so he could look normal around humans. He was adorable, Astrid was very lucky. All three of them were able to settle without conflict. Mr Copper was happy to have a family, and Astrid along with Bannakaffalatta were excited to have one too.

The Doctor connected with UNIT. They would make for certain that the newly named Copper family transitioned properly.

Now we were in the TARDIS. The blue box was off roaming in the Vortex. I was in the movie room, watching  _ Nightmare Before Christmas _ .

The Doctor walked in, halfway through the film. He was in his normal brown suit by this point. I was in Christmas pajamas, happily lounging on a couch while eating popcorn.

“Everything alright?”

“My head stopped spinning, if that’s what you mean.” I replied.

“It was actually, yes.” The Doctor walked in, poorly hiding something behind his back.

“If you’re gonna get mad, I had everything completely under control with that bit at the end.” I excused. 

The Doctor shook his head. “You’re half mad, which makes our friendship work.” He danced on the balls of his feet. “And friends exchange gifts on Christmas.”

Sitting up, I paused the movie. “ good thing I found something for you!”

“You did?”

I reached into my Bag. A small pink gift box was tucked inside. The Doctor revealed the thing behind his back. There was a long boxed wrapped in blue wrapping paper.

We exchanged gifts before taking seats on the couch. 

“You go first.” I insisted.

“No you go first.” The Doctor countered.

“You go! Please?”

The Doctor lifted the lid. His brown eyes widened. “Is this...?”

“The Master’s fob watch.” I told him. “You see, if someone really close to me died, I would want something more than memories to remember them by. Like, something with meaning to the both of us. That watch, no matter how it ended, brought you the Master. Yes, you had him for a short while, and he did kill millions of people, but you had him back. From what he said that sounded true, you meant a lot to each other.” I explained to the Doctor. I put a hand on his shoulder. “Doc Brown, he was still your friend. This fob watch is a symbol. What is lost, can always come home.”

The Doctor looked at the watch, then up at me. “How did you get this?” He asked. His voice was soft, in complete shock.

“The Master surprisingly didn’t keep track of it.” I admitted. The Doctor went back to staring at the watch. “Do you like it?”

The Last Time Lord smiled at me. “Thank you.” The Doctor nodded to the thin box in my hands. “This is a long awaiting gift.”

Once I opened it, I nearly dropped it.

A sonic screwdriver.

It had a ball top, encased in glass and metal workings. There was a raspberry pink light inside. It was connected to a golden part, with some giant honeycomb designs beneath the raspberry colored scanner, and a little spoon shaped button. There were some silver dials, which looked like they controlled some of the scanner stuff. Around the spoon button there were some silver clasps.

The hand grip was mostly black, with silver workings. It had bumps that looked like stereos. The bottom was a silver spade shape, with intricate patterns. All in all, pretty marvelous.

I looked at him, gaping. The shock would fade and then I would be squealing like a pig. “Screwdriver. Why do I have a sonic screwdriver? Why did you give me a sonic screwdriver?” I looked down at it, bringing it up from it’s box. “I have a sonic screwdriver. This is mine. It’s got a little pink light!”

Grabbing it, I got a feel for it in my hands. The box was still in my other hand. “Eek! My sonic screwdriver! I have a sonic screwdriver! Ahh!”

“I have been wanting to give you one for awhile.” The Doctor said. “It’s why I forgot to set up defenses. I was asking the TARDIS to make it for you. The TARDIS already had one made.” He was starting to grin. “She wants you to have one too.”

I squealed. About damn time that squeak showed up. “Christmas! Best Christmas Ever!” I pressed the button, making the pink tip glow. It made the noise. “Ahaha!”

I jumped up and down like a five year old. “Mine is bigger than your’s!”

The Doctor shook his head. A proud smile on his face. “Oh don’t you start.”

“Already did!” I cheered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is something therapeutic about writing Terra telling me to fuck off. And yes, it was annoying writing Bannakaffalatta every time. I forgot copy/paste could help me until halfway through. By then I was just used to it.  
> She got her fucking vengeance.  
> Yes I was mean but this is healing-mean. Terra got to prove she wasn’t beat down, that she’ll continue to fight to save people.


	3. Partners In Crime

“Doctor! I have good news!” I shouted as I ran back into the console room.

The Doctor was typing onto the console computer. He turned towards me, stopping in his typing in order to look my way. “Yeah?”

“I can officially stay in a closed door room for four hours before I have a panic attack!” I announced.

The Doctor beamed. His smile was shaking slightly before becoming wide and proud. “That’s good.” I nodded in agreement. “What did you do this time, then, to calm yourself down? Read any good books? Walk in the TARDIS forest? Go for a swim?”

“I watched a horror film about children killing their parents!” I supplied. The Doctor blinked at me.

Three months ago, we crashed into the  _ Titanic _ . Three long, long months. There were adventures- good and bad. Some had us nearly enslaved into a work force under a tyrannical planet of sentient land formations, which ended in me almost setting the entire planet on fire. Some had us swimming on land with canoes to escape a land-hurricane (imagine a hurricane, but instead of water it’s dirt).

Some days were easier than others. I could ignore the urge to look over my shoulder. It took the Doctor having a lengthy talk with me during another viewing of the anti-grav Olympics that the Doctor accidentally signed us up for that I was trying to get out of. Apparently the multiple nosebleeds and headaches were a result of my telepathic survival skills. The Doctor talked to me a lot over the months to keep me from using them. 

_ Bitch if I wanna use my Shine I fucking will _

A trend started popping up in all those rooms. All the various times I was locked away in a space never went well. The moment the doors shut, I would go catatonic. The Doctor slapped me once to get me out of it. It wasn’t pretty. So over the months I built up a tolerance to it.

Four hours was indeed the best time I ever got from it. 

Not that I hadn’t tried longer, oh indeed I have tried. The times I tried for an overnight shut door never worked. If I closed the door, I would stay up paranoid that someone would appear to lock it and throw away the key. If I fell asleep but asked the Doctor to lock it, I would wake up as soon as I heard the clicking of the lock. Yes I could easily pick the locks or sonic them open _ (with my own sonic, did  _ , that wasn’t the point- if anything that just made it worse. It was just the same as back then. 

The open door didn’t sit too well with me either, I liked some fucking privacy. So now I was basically uncomfortable all the time. I wanted peace back. If it meant I should get used to being in closed spaces again I would do so. 

After my dark side took over so long ago, I was scared to eat anything. The idea of wanting to eat made me gag. It took time to reintroduce myself to food. I know this door-thing is just another long process. It’s going to take time. I’m a Time Lady, I can work with it.

The Doctor was supportive in all of it too. He encouraged me anytime I showed improvement, and even the times I failed he would be cheering me on. He never showed disappointment in my slow progress. That’s fine, I was plenty disappointed for both of us. His approval did help though...

“How exactly did they...do that, then?” The Doctor asked.

“That would spoil the movie. I’m not rude like that.” I cautioned, skipping over to the pilot seat. 

The Doctor watched me. “I know that. However- consider- I don’t plan on watching it-”

“Yeah you do. We’re watching it later.” I reminded him. The Doctor looked at me in surprise and confusion. “Movie night.”

He grimaced for a split second. A human wouldn’t have noticed it. “Right.”

One thing that helped more often than not was watching movies. Any sort, not just scary ones. The Doctor agreed to a movie night. He apparently knew a log of Earth movies, and the TARDIS had ones from other planets that were often good. We watched those a lot.

Usually the TARDIS helped coordinate a movie night. Schedules were always hard to keep in time travel. They often were at the  _ ‘end’ _ of a  _ ‘week’ _ . What constituted a  _ ‘week’ _ varied. Still, the Doctor agreed to spend at least two hours watching a film with me.

He liked those artsy indie movies. They were alright. He never really stayed for the endings, always finding one excuse or another to avoid seeing it. That was just his thing, I guess. He never likes the endings.

I wonder how he could handle an M. Night Shyamalan movie. Or a thriller. Oh- oh or a Guillermo del Toro! That could be fun. Yeah he would figure it all out in like a second but it would be  _ fun _ .

“No way. I learned the last time not to watch horror films with you.” The Doctor dismissed.

“It wasn’t even that bad!” I rolled my eyes at him. “If you stayed to the end-”

“Nope. Nu-uh. Not doing it. That movie was awful. How could you stand it?” The Doctor asked.

“Cause  _ Saw  _ is a classic.” I argued. Yeah, watching someone being locked in a room for so many hours...they were living my nightmare and also sort of my dream? Like...they made it. Good for them. “The ending was good. You should have seen it.”

“Yeah but you just tell me the ending usually. Why should I stay?” The Doctor asked.

“You’re a spoiler enabler. You enable my innate desire to spoil movies for people.” My hands grabbed my head, shaking like I’d just gone mad. “ _ Make it stop!” _

The Doctor laughed. He pressed a button on the console. He missed it’s answering light to turn to me. “So how did they do it?”

_ I’ve cracked _

_ Call Humpty Dumpty, someone’s taking his crown _

“Okay so there’s this  _ demon ghost-” _

The computer pinged. Worse than that, the TARDIS started to yell out for attention.

The Doctor and I turned to it. The Doctor checked the computer. I stayed back, curious to see if it would finally start today. 

_ I wanted to see Donna Noble, dammit _

“Well guess the movie will have to wait.” The Doctor told me. “The TARDIS is showing me some oddities coming from London.”

“Really? Is it like...big ones or little ones?”

“Not sure.” The Doctor pressed a few buttons. “She can’t get an accurate read, it happened too quickly.” He grinned at me. “We’ll have to investigate.”

I grinned right back. 

==MGCB==

The TARDIS brought us to a specific building. One building that stood gloriously, a calling card for anyone investigating the weird stuff.

_ She was returning _

_ Fuck yeah I wanna see Donna Noble _

_ I wanna see Wilfred Mott from the other side of a telescope _

_ I wanna see  _ Adipose babies _. They are so adorable, and I am owed something adorable. _

The Doctor and I walked to a back door. I held up my sonic- mug very own, very pink sonic- to the door. With a quick loud buzz, the lock shot out sparks. The Doctor flinched from them. I preened.

“Mr Smith.” I opened the door to him.

The Doctor smiled along with the joke. He nodded as he walked in. “Ms Brown.”

We giggled at ourselves as we walked inside.

Nobody noticed us for a long while. The Doctor checked with me to be sure I wasn’t using my abilities. I honestly can’t tell. 

The answer came when a guard started walking in the hall with us. The Doctor fished out his psychic paper. He held it up for the guard.

“John Smith and Caroline Brown, Health and Safety.” The Doctor reported.

The guard nodded, never breaking his stride.

==MGCB==

The Doctor got us into the projection room. We were peeking out through a window to see the presentation.

Foster stood up on the stage. Dressed in only the classiest pantsuit. Why do people even like those? Every time I’ve worn them people died. It’s just a bad outfit choice. Was that my cursed outfit like his suit? Perhaps.

Nah, I was never wearing that monstrosity again. The dress I made was good enough for me!

“Adipose Industries, the twenty-first century way to lose weight.” Foster explained, smiling oh so perkily at the crowd of reporters and a familiar head of ginger hair. “No exercise, no diet, no pain. Just lifelong freedom from fat. The Holy Grail of the modern age. And here it is. You just take one capsule. One capsule, once a day for three weeks, and the fat, as they say.”

She waved her hand to the projection screen. 

“ _ The fat just walks away.” _

Penny raised her hand in the crowd. “Excuse me, Miss Foster. If I could? I’m Penny Carter, science correspondent for  _ The Observer _ . There are a thousand diet pills on the market, a thousand con men stealing people's money. How do we know the fat isn’t going straight into your bank account?”

“Oh, Penny, if cynicism burnt up calories, we'd all be as thin as rakes. But if you want the science, I can oblige.” Foster again gave control to the large screen behind her. 

_ “Adipose Industries. The Adipose capsule is composed of a synthesised mobilising lipase, bound to a large protein molecule. The mobilizing lipase breaks up the triglycerides stored in the adipose cells, which then enter-” _

The projection worker was giving us the side eye. I bumped the Doctor’s foot with mine.

The Doctor quickly pulled out the psychic paper. “Health and Safety. Film department.”

“One hundred percent legal, one hundred percent effective.” Foster cheered when the presentation was done.

“But, can I just ask, how many people have taken the pills to date?” Penny asked.

Foster “We’ve already got one million customers within the Greater London area alone, but from next week, we start rolling out nationwide. The future starts here. And Britain will be  _ thin _ .”

_ ‘Hey...if a million people are taking it, how much of London is that?’ _

_ “1/7th their current population.’  _ The Doctor answered.  _ ‘That’s quite a lot. No wonder the TARDIS wanted us to see it.’ _

_ ‘Does her science back up? It sounds right but so do some terms & conditions. Or song lyrics. Or movie plotlines.’ _

_ ‘It’s right enough...though I am concerned about where exactly the fat goes. It can't just walk away.’ _

Oh Doctor...but they’re so  _ cute _ ! 

_ ‘Yeah! So...we suspicious yet?’ _

_ ‘Oh yes, Miss Brown, I think things are  _ very _ suspicious here.’ _ The Doctor grinned at me.  _ ‘Let’s go ask the people questions.’ _

==MGCB==

The Doctor liked talking to people. Like, really liked it. No surprise he chose the call center full of people to investigate.

Joy.

_ More people _ .

Who doesn’t love just being in a room full of people?

Donna Noble was in this room. That’s a plus, I suppose. I could stand being in this room with Donna Noble. I would have to, there weren’t a lot of chairs.

The Doctor guided me over to a cubicle. A woman was chatting on the phone. 

“That’s a three week course of pills for a special price of forty five pounds.” Clare was saying as we walked up. 

The Doctor leaned on her desk, flashing the psychic paper again. “John Smith, Caroline Brown, Health and Safety. Don’t mind us.”

Clare gave a quick nod, staying with her conversation on the phone. “We deliver within three working days. The box comes with 21 days worth of pills, a full information pack, and our special free gift, an Adipose Industries pendant.” She pointed to a small box.

I picked it up. The pendant inside looked like the Adipose pill, only solid gold instead of white/red. It dangled between the Doctor and I, I let it sway.

_ Hey if I twisted it, how many people in here would react and maybe die? _

Okay that thought wasn’t very nice. Putting that away to never be thought about again...

“It’s made of eighteen carat gold, and it’s yours for free.” Clare explained with a polite smile. “No, we don’t give away pens, sorry. No, I can’t make an exception, no.”

“It’s free, I’m keeping it.” I slipped the necklace into one of my dress pockets.

The Doctor grinned at me. He leaned around me to look at Clare. “Could we get a printed list of your customers?”

Clare nodded. She gave a few brief pleasantries to the person on the phone before hanging up. “The printer is that way.”

The Doctor and I stood up. “That’s the printer there?” He asked.

“By the plant, yeah.” Clare answered. She was gathering the requested info on her computer. 

“Huzzah.” I cheered.

“Brilliant.” The Doctor and I went back down. 

We popped back up.

“Has it got paper?” The Doctor asked.

“Yeah, Jimbo keeps it stocked.” Clare assured us.

“What about ink?” I asked.

“Like I said, Jimbo’s got it.” Clare repeated.

The Doctor and I nodded in agreement. We sunk back down into her cubicle. 

Foster walked in. She had two guards flanking her. “Excuse me, everyone, if I could have your attention.”

The Doctor and I stayed low in the cubicle as Clare stood up.

“On average, you’re each selling forty Adipose packs per day.” Foster announced. Her tone cold and clipped, enough to make any worker scared and any children she cared for pee their pants.

Well the Adipose don’t wear pants. Or any clothes. Why are they always named? Is it just their species, maybe, that don’t like wearing clothes? The babies are too cute to complain about it.

“It’s not enough.” Foster was still talking. That’s important. Somebody should pay attention to that. The Doctor was peeking out from above the cubicle. I stayed low to the ground, checking that my bow tie was straight. “I want  _ one hundred _ sales per person per day. And if not, you’ll be replaced. Because if anyone’s good in trimming the fat, it’s me. Now. Back to it.” She turned on her heels, walking away from her work staff.

Clare sat down with a long breath.

“Anyway, if you could print that off. Thanks.” The Doctor prompted. Clare nodded.

I hopped right up to my feet. “I’ll get it!” Without waiting, I ran towards the printer. I was gonna be professional, focused, determined, nothing would distract me from my path-

Hey were those chocolates?!

There was a table across from the printer. It had the coffee machine and cups, along with a jar full of singular wrapped candy. 

I diverted my path from the printer to this refreshment table. The candy jar being my singular focus. Coffee was good but I would go completely insane.

“Ah butter biscuits! The candy is coffee flavored!” I pouted.

A very unforgettable Donna Noble voice went off behind me. “Oh that’s sad.”

“I know!” I whined. 

Donna walked away. Only after she was gone did I realize she spoke to me. Donna Noble talked to me! Oh that’s beautiful.

The Doctor rushed up to my side. He was panting in a rush. “Terra?”

“Hmm?” I turned to him, tilting my head in confusion. “What’s up?”

“Where’s the list?”

“In the print-” I pointed over to it, seeing no such document. Now: had two printed, and Donna took both? Or had the two orders canceled one out? “-where did it go?”

“No idea. Could you ask her to print it again?” The Doctor asked.

“Okie dokie...wait why can’t you?” I asked.

The Doctor grimaced. “Well- it’s- she-”

I tilted my head.

He sighed. His shoulders slumped. In a rush, I remembered what exactly Clare just offered in the cubicle. Now I was nervous to let him go back. I felt bad for him. Before I could stop him he was already walking.

Lifting my sonic I turned to the printer. The sonic that was mine. That I owned. It needed to stay hidden in case Foster checked the cameras. If the printer had conflicting orders, it wouldn’t print. All I really have to do is 1) check to see if it had a second order or B) tell it to repeat the last order. Easy peasy, hope nobody sees me!

The sonic buzzed. The tip glowed a dark pink, like a fun Christmas light. After a second, the sonic buzzed. Some of my work over the past few weeks was learning more about what each buzz meant. 

_ Option B! _

_ Huzzah. _

The printer whirred.

_ ‘Doctor, my sonic works great!’ _

The Doctor was leaning on the wall to Clare’s cubicle. He turned to me, confused. I skipped to the printer, pulling out the paper. He grinned. “Oh- there it is! Nevermimd then. Sorry for the bother.” He joined my side.

The two of us walked towards the exit.

“How did it feel?” The Doctor asked.

I beamed. “I’m still gonna steal yours.” The Doctor laughed. “It felt really good.”

The Doctor beamed right with me. The warm feeling spreading through my chest made it worth embarrassing him. “So. Where do we go first?”

==MGCB==

Despite Adipose Industries having a million customers, Clare’s list was quite short. The Doctor and I searched more of the building for anything suspicious. By closing time, we’d found nothing. 

So. The list!

Roger Davey was the first one. Not really, the Doctor let me choose so I made a show of drawing a name at random. This would be the closest we could get to Donna just yet.

The Doctor built a new device with help from me. It was able to trace the signals we’d picked up on. The funny y shaped device was just fun to hold.

Later that night we knocked on the door of Mr Davey. He opened it, looking confused.

“Mister Roger Davey?” The Doctor asked. The man nodded. “I’m calling on behalf of Adipose Industries. Just need to ask you a few questions.”

We were invited inside. We asked basic questions, then got into the  _ fun  _ stuff.

“I’ve been on the pills for two weeks now. I’ve lost fourteen kilos.” Roger explained.

“That’s the same amount every day?” The Doctor asked. 

“One kilo exactly. You wake up, and it’s disappeared overnight.” Roger answered. He paused then added. “Well, technically speaking, it’s gone by ten past one in the morning.”

“ _ That’s _ really specific.” I noted.

Roger didn’t deny it. “That’s when I get woken up. Might as well weigh myself at the same time.”

“Woken up?” I asked.

Roger walked us outside his home. He pointed up at the alarm system above the door. “It is driving me mad. Ten minutes past one, every night, bang on the dot without fail, the burglar alarm goes off. I’ve had experts in, I’ve had it replaced, I’ve even phoned Watchdog. But no, ten past one in the morning, off it goes.”

“But with no burglars?” The Doctor asked. 

“Nothing. I’ve given up looking.”

The Doctor hummed. He glanced at me.  _ ‘Terra did you see a cat flap?’ _

_ ‘Yes but with no cat I dismissed it.’ _

The Doctor laughed in my mind. He did a good job covering it up as he turned to Roger. “Tell me, Roger. Have you got a cat flap?”

Roger confirmed. He walked us back in the back door. The tiniest little cat flap was waiting there. 

“It was here when I bought the house.” Roger explained. The three of us knelt down to look from the cat flap. “I’ve never bothered with it, really. I’m not a cat person.”

“No, we’ve met cat people. You’re nothing like them.” The Doctor mused.

“They have more hissy fits.” I remarked. The Doctor snorted. 

“It’s that what it is, though? Cats getting inside the house?” Roger asked. 

“Well, thing about cat flaps is, they don’t just let things in, they let things  _ out _ as well.” The Doctor pointed out.

“Like what?” Roger asked. 

“The fat just walks away.” The Doctor and I stated.

After giving Roger a Thanksgiving meal for thought, we decided to leave. There was enough info here for us to work with.

“Well, thanks for your help.” The Doctor cheered. “Tell you what, maybe you could lay off the pills for a week or so.”

The device he built let out a loud buzz. Both of us snapped towards it. Hopefully no chickens were harmed. 

“Oh. Got to go. Sorry.” The Doctor told Roger. He held up the device, watching for which light went off before running that direction.

Skipping up, I dashed after him. This was exciting, being on the run but not for my life. That kind of running was less fun. Running with the express purpose of  _ almost  _ seeing Donna Noble? I could get behind that.

So we chased the signal. The signal for the little Adipose being born- yeah they accidentally killed a lady, and yeah it was Donna that started it by accident, Foster ordered the killing blow so I’ll blame her. The Adipose babies are too precious to blame.

The Doctor stopped running a few times, smacking the sides of the device. I wonder if my sonic could fix those glitches...I was trying very hard to make my sonic good at those. Glitches, slip-ups, the occasional lock pick, and a feature with a ballpoint pen.

The pen was being difficult.

It would never work on wood so I didn’t bother with that.

The Doctor stopped. My mind was so far off thinking about what kind of pen I could add that I barreled into him. He stopped me from falling on the road, pulling me to the side.

The Adipose unmarked van was driving by. The device started whirring louder. 

_ ‘That’s got to be it!’ _ The Doctor told me.

At my nod, we started running after it.

A fruitless chase. 

Which is a shame, cause I would’ve killed for a strawberry or a pineapple. 

==MGCB==

Returning to the TARDIS, I slipped the Doctor the gold necklace. He was busy scanning it. Meanwhile I slipped away to my bedroom.

The space was turning into a workroom. I couldn’t sleep very well. Working on my next jump was the best use of my time.

It was so easy to lose time doing that work. The destinations were still up in the air. All my best ones were things stuffed into my Bag. There were a few movies I hadn’t gone to yet. Darcy was still on my case about visiting Middle Earth...nah I don’t know enough about that world to feel safe going there.

What about  _ How To Train Your Dragon _ ? I would like a dragon...plus Norse mythology was always fun. It would be fun to talk with people that believed in them. Darcy would like Vikings- pillaging and shit. Nah...I don’t trust myself caring for a dragon right now.

I’m not feeling a movie universe...TV? I’ve been in one for five years. Did I really wanna do another? Besides, I don’t have access to a lot of shows. What was left?

The TARDIS went off in my mind. I looked up at her, curious.

She hummed. With each gun, I was compelled to turn my head. She led me to the bookshelves in my room.. 

...books?

A book world? I mean, it’s what I did before  _ Doctor Who _ . I could do another one.

Darcy would insist on  _ LOTR _ if she knew...fuck what world would she like? I didn’t want to go to a place without her. Not this time. I wanted her around.

“What book?” I walked over to my bookshelf.

Some of the books were TARDIS recommendations. Others were ones from Home that I tucked around for a good read. Yes even those books I bought with Reighley were there. They deserved spots on the shelf.

The TARDIS hummed. Something sounded strange with it. It wasn’t her normal hum. Pictures flashed in my mind too- too fast for me to place.

“Play it again?” I asked.

The TARDIS hummed again. It wasn’t a hum. The image came slower. Rose Tyler, eyes glowing gold. The sound was a  _ howl _ .

“Werewolf book...a werewolf book. Okay. I have those.” Turning back to the bookshelf I sorted through it all. 

There were a  _ lot  _ of werewolf books. They were my favorite kinds of books.

“ _ Twilight _ is out...basic principle. No Stephen King...Darcy would have too much power there. This one? Nope, werewolves are too idiotic here. This werewolf book has friendly vampires, I can’t kill them so they’re out...this one has promise, if it didn’t make werewolves the bad guys. Red Riding Hood did him dirty.”

There weren’t exactly a lot of werewolf books I liked. Or that Darcy would like. 

I mean there was  _ one _ book series...I could work with it.

Picking the book up, I held it up to show the ceiling. The TARDIS hummed again in my mind, excited and buzzing in delight. 

“Well if you like it, then we’re doing it!” 

I read through the book, in Ninth Doctor style. 

“Okay...there’s a lot to work with here.” I picked up the next books in the series. “Time to work for a living!”

Three hours later, the Doctor called out from my door. “Oi Terra! Are you in here?”

Or I saw it was three hours after checking my watch. The cork board in front of me was covered in colored notecards, various colors of ink scribbled words between them, and strings of rainbow thread connected some cards together. The first book was in my hand, ready for more notes.

Ah, I loved my hobbies.

The Doctor knocked. 

I shrieked, running to the door. “Don’t knock! Do not knock! Didn’t I tell you to not knock?!”

The Doctor held up his hands. “You did! You did. My fault. I’m sorry.”

The door was only partly opened. I stood in the gap, blocking the room from sight. Planning was delicate, private work that I don’t like anyone seeing. Darcy rarely gets to see it until the end. Nobody else should see it! Especially if they knock on my door like an asshole.

“I was being extremely clever, and you were sittin’ in your room?” The Doctor asked.

“I know.” I replied, waving it off. “What’s the point of having me around?”

The Doctor huffed. “It’s fine. I can still tell you about it.” 

I smiled, tucking the book away in my Bag.

The real struggle would begin soon.

Stuck in a room for  _ nine hours _ . Stepping out of it would mean  _ death _ . Or worse. 

I don’t know if I’m ready for that.

“You can. What’s so cool about a necklace-”

“Well it’s actually-”

“-cause it looks off the chain!”

The Doctor paused. He snorted when he got the joke. “Anyway-”

He explained it. I focused more on the cork board hidden behind me. 

==MGCB==

9 am. The Doctor got us back into the building. By 9:30, he’s found a storage room for us to hide. 

He used the sonic on the door to lock it shut. And so my wait begins...I’m like Rory Willians: spending a long time around a box waiting for a ginger. 

This was gonna be  _ murder _ . How did Rory not go  _ insane _ ?

I sat myself down on the ground. Situated, I leaned back against the wall. The cold of it deeper through my dress. It helped keep me in the moment. This room was safe to leave. The Doctor locked the door so nobody else could come inside. We would be fine. It would only be a few hours. Sure I never made it past 4 hours, so what?

The Doctor sat across from me. Seeing him helped. My hallucinations stopped months ago. The Doctor being here reminded me this was fine. I wanted to work, to finish Planning, that always worked better than sitting around doing nothing.

To settle, I pulled out my werewolf book. I turned to where I left off re-reading. That would be like Planning. Yeah. Besides, I liked the book anyway. There was an issue still of what Darcy would be doing there. She would like the chances for murder. 

“Alright. We’re locked in.” The Doctor mused, rocking in his seated position. “Until closing. That’s fine.”

I turned a page. He was distracting, I could ignore it.

“Probably could’ve done...something else. Walk around outside, snuck in later. Gone to a little shop.” The Doctor rambled on. “Or to a film. You like films- whatcha got there?”

“I’m just reading.” I told him. His constant questions were usually fine, they didn’t mean anything. They never came towards me with intent to hurt.

So why were my hearts racing? Why did my fingers clench so tightly around the pages?

“What book?” The Doctor asked, looking excited. He was happy. A bit bored, but happy. He was happy and fine.

_ No reason to freak out _

_ There is no logical reason to freak out _

“Just...a book. Nothing fancy.” I replied. The page creased under my thumb. “Just something to pass time...”

“That’s smart.” The Doctor nodded, like I’d dropped sage advice. I shrugged. “Could I have a look?”

_ I mean no _

_ But I want this over with so I can zone out. _

_...‘focus’ _

“Sure.” I handed the book over.

The Doctor eyed the front cover. The image was of just half a lady’s face, her green eyes staring you down. He hummed in delight. Instead of reading it the way Nine had, he-

He-

_ He- _

_ He tore out the last page. _

_ “What are you doing?!” _ I snatched the book back, holding it protectively over my chest.

The Doctor looked at me in concerned confusion. “Just tearing out the last page.”

“ _ What kind of maniac does that?!” _ I eyed him, hatefully. “You’re cruel. You don’t  _ do  _ that.”

“Well without the last page, the book never ends.” The Doctor told me- like that was  _ rational _ . Like that was something  _ normal _ !

“Of course that book didn’t end, it’s part of a series!” I argued. “Part 1 of 5! The book has no official ending like that! Tearing out the last page just makes me confused when I read book 2!”

The Doctor winced. “Ah.” He held the last page out to me. 

“Yeah!” I snatched it back, setting it down on my lap. I searched my Bag for tape.  _ He’s lucky this wasn’t my signed copy, or I’d’ve killed him outright. _

“...you said part 1?” The Doctor asked.

“Yeah.” Getting out the clear tape, I patched the book back up. This book would be my next jump, I couldn’t be sure that the copy in this world didn’t have spoilers for me. So this was my only copy in his universe. 

This thing was more precious to me than gold.

He tore out the last page. I should’ve known. I watched  _ Angels Take Manhattan.  _ The Doctor did it there too. This- this was just upsetting. Ten was better than this.

“You can go back to reading.” The Doctor offered.

“No. I’m too freaked out.” I curled my legs to my chest, holding them together. “ _ Zip a dee doo dah...zip a dee day...” _

The Doctor winced.

We sat in relevant silence. I sang quietly, staring at pages without reading them. Or even thinking about them. Dealing with werewolves was at the bottom of my lists of concerns.

The silence broke a half hour later. 

“Are you alright?” The Doctor asked.

My hearts were at a steady pace. Steady for them, anyone. The words on the page were easier to comprehend and think about, maybe even enjoy. I nodded for the Doctor.

“Do you still have 30 DVD’s?” The Doctor asked.

I nodded again.

“...got a player?”

I scoffed. Me, without a DVD player. The very idea was hilarious.

“Could we watch something?” The Doctor asked.

Sitting up, I opened the Bag in my lap. The book was tucked to my side, for now. The Doctor watched as I shifted through all my belongings. “It’s actually 50 now. The Haven had a bunch that I never returned, and I found some along the- the Year. Did- did you want a funny one or a drama?”

“As long as it’s not a horror, I won’t mind.” The Doctor answered. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a banana and-

“Blueberries?” I asked.

The Doctor held the small container out towards me. “You liked these, usually had them as a late night snack.” I was still staring at the offered fruit. “The TARDIS started leaving them out. I got curious”

“I ate pineapples too.”

“I know, you left the outside bits in the TARDIS sink. I’ll get them next movie night.” The Doctor conceded. He held the fruit up again. 

I accepted it. One hand held up the blueberry container, the other pulled out the DVD player. “It’s just got a Disney movie in it.”

“Ooh, which one?”

“Hunchback.” The Doctor made a face. Then it shifted to his  _ ‘well...’ _ frown. “I can change-”

“No, no it’s fine. It’s great.” The Doctor lied. “I like it. It’s good. Notre Dame, have you ever seen it?” I shook my head. “We can go see it, sometime.”

“ _ Out there strolling by the Seine, taste the morning out there like ordinary men who freely walk about there.” _ The DVD player buzzed to life.  _ “Just one day and then I swear I’ll be content with my share...” _

The familiar screen flashed, as the DVD began to play. I leaned back against the wall, holding my book to my chest. The Doctor sat himself beside me. Together, we started eating our fruits.

_ “Won’t resent, won’t despair, old and bent I won’t care. I’ll have spent one day out there...” _

==MGCB==

The Doctor closed the DVD player.

I gawked at him. “ _ I am going to kill you with my thumb _ !”

The Doctor put a finger to his lips. I quieted down, waiting. Time Sense hit me with what the Doctor noticed.

_ 6:30 _

_ Closing time! _

Nine hours...I made it  _ nine whole hours. _ There had been mishaps, speed bumps, the Doctor always did something to help.

There was panic whenever I had to pick another film, realizing I was stuck in a closet. The Doctor tried to sonic open the control panel before seeing it was triple deadlocked. I was catatonic in both instances. Deadlocks? Storage? Me? Apparently that can trigger a bitch. 

The Doctor always prioritized me to the task. If I struggled picking a movie, well then he chose from my collection at random. If him standing to leave for two minutes had me panicking about being in a deadlocked building, he started singing. Got me involved. He would ask me things about whatever film we were watching. He asked me for the lyrics.

He got me monologuing. 

It...worked. 

He was such a good friend. I can’t wait to repay him by getting him a Donna Noble.

The Doctor walked to the door, cautious. I packed the DVD player, the DVD boxes, the snacks, and my book into my Bag. By the time the Doctor turned back I had cleaned our presence from here completely.

He blinked at the empty spaces.

I beamed. My arm went up to loop with his.

The Doctor rolled with it. He used the sonic to open the door. 

As we walked down the gall, I sang  _ ‘we’re off to see the wizard!’ _

==MGCB==

Breaking onto roofs was always fun. The Doctor and I ran to the window washer’s cradle. He lowered it down to Foster’s office. 

We ducked when Foster walked in. Her guards behind her dragging in the journalist, Penny.

The Doctor pulled out a stethoscope. I pressed my ear against the wall.

“You can’t tie me up. What sort of a country do you think this is?” Penny complained.

“Oh, it’s a beautifully fat country. And believe me, I’ve travelled a long way to find obesity on this scale.” Foster replied. Her tone was cold and calculating. 

“So, come on then, Miss Foster, those pills. What are they?” Penny asked. That was a decent try, except she was tied to a chair so priorities? Maybe?

Then again if  _ I _ was tied to the chair I would be asking similar questions. I was not the picture of mental health. 

“Well, you might just as well have a scoop, since you’ll never see it printed. This is the spark of life.” Foster explained. A quick peek overhead showed her holding the golden necklace.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Penny asked. 

“Officially, the capsule attracts all the fat cells and flushes them away. Well, it certainly attracts them. That part’s true. But it binds the fat together and galvanises it to form a body.” Foster explained.

“What do you mean, a body?” Penny asked. 

_ ‘Terra get down!’ _

_ ‘But I wanna see what it is!’ _

“I am surprised you never asked about my name. I chose it well. Foster. As in  _ Foster mother _ . And these are my children.” Foster brought out an Adipose.

_ ‘It’s like the Pillsbury doughboy had a baby with the Marshmallow Man.’ _

_ “They’re both male.’ _

_ ‘Cloning is a thing.’ _ I reasoned back. 

“You’re kidding me. What the hell is  _ that _ ?” Penny shrieked, horrified and ( _ hopefully I’m getting this wrong)  _ disgusted.

The Doctor peeked with me. 

“Adipose. It’s called an Adipose. Made out of living fat.” Foster answered.

_ ‘They are so cute.’ _

_ ‘Terra we don’t know how dangerous...yeah I can’t even say it, they  _ are  _ adorable _ .’

_ ‘Right?!’ _

“But I don’t understand.”

“From ordinary human people.” Foster 

I was looking at Donna Noble. She was hiding on the other side of Foster’s office door. The window was just big enough to see her face. My jaw dropped. Her’s did too.

_ ‘Donna?’  _ Doctor and I mouthed.

“ _ Doctor?”  _ She mouthed back. “ _ Doctor!” _

_ “But what? What? What?”  _ The Doctor gawked.

_ “It’s Donna! Donna Noble! I am EXCITED!” _

_ “Oh my god!”  _ Donna cheered.

_ “What are you doing here?” _ I asked.

Donna’s eyes scrunched up.  _ “Who are you?” _

And my good feelings are gone...

_ “But how?” _ The Doctor asked.

That brought Donna back to her joy. “ _ It’s me!” _

_ “Yes, I can see that.” _ The Doctor snarked. _ ‘She’s not changed.’ _

_ ‘Why would we want that _ ?!’ I asked him.

_ “Oh, this is brilliant.”  _ Donna cheered. She showed off her two upturned thumbs.

_ “What the hell are you doing there?” _ The Doctor asked.

_ “I was looking for you and Terra.”  _ Donna mimed most of it, until thinking that I wasn’t Terra and therefore not worth pointing at.

Then again, she didn’t know about regeneration. It could be excused.

_ “What for?” _ The Doctor asked.

_ “I read it on the internet. Weird. Crept along. Heard them talking. Hid. You.” _ Donna explained.

_ ‘I am loving this _ .’ I told the Doctor.

_ ‘You would.’ _

Donna stopped. She looked out towards the- you know- alien foster mother and fat baby.

That’s not an insult, it’s a baby made of fat.

Foster was looking at us all. She wasn’t amused by us. Why not? We were so funny. “Are we interrupting you?”

“You are actually!” I told her. Could she head it through the windows? Maybe not. I gave my piece.

_ ‘Run!’  _ The Doctor told Donna. She immediately started running.

“Get her.” Foster ordered. 

I got out my sonic, aiming it up. The Doctor aimed towards the door to the office. Our Sonics buzzed. The door locked. The cart started to rise.

==MGCB==

On reaching the roof the Doctor and I started running down the stairs. We could hear Donna’s steps. Closer and closer with each floor.

I was so fucking excited.

On the final stair, I slid down the railing. Donna nearly collided with me.

“Donna!” I shouted before throwing myself into a hug.

Donna hugged back, confused. The Doctor joined the hug. 

“Oh, my God. I don’t believe it. You’ve even got the same suit! Don’t you ever  _ change _ ?” Donna questioned. “And what are  _ you  _ wearing?”

“Yeah, thanks, Donna. Not right now.” The Doctor chided, trying to find the Adipose guards. 

“Sometimes he wears  _ blue _ .” I revealed.

“And who is she?” Donna asked.  _ Damn...happiness lost again.  _ “Did you get a ginger to replace me? What happened to Terra?”

“She’s right there.” The Doctor explained. We stopped, heading the heavy pounding of the guards’ footsteps. The Doctor beamed at us both. “Just like old times!”

“Only without giant red murder spiders!” I laughed. 

We ran back up the way we came. The three of us were running together, like we always should be.

==MGCB==

“ _ You can change your face?” _ That was her big take away as we walked out onto the roof. The Doctor went to the window cart, using the sonic on the locks. “What, like on command?” Donna asked.

“No. Only when we die.” I replied.

“You died?!” Donna shouted.

“Mostly.” I shrugged. “But I’m still that girl you saw, purple hoodie and all. Okay yeah, purple hoodies are ugly for me now. It wouldn’t go with my hair. I mean except on Halloween- no, yeah no, no purple.”

“That dress was a  _ choice _ ?” Donna shook her head. “You can’t be her. Terra was- she was just a kid.” Donna dismissed, looking at me with something sad in her face.

“Donna.” I stepped forward, meeting her gaze. “When you first got dragged into the TARDIS, you thought we were from Mars and the Doctor didn’t know wedding dresses had no pockets, and everybody thought you were in drag and the Santas were made of robots and I gave you my hoodie but you insulted it. I’m less insulted now that I’ve got the new look...Actually yeah I’m still offended by that but-”

“Alright! Alright. It’s you.” Donna interrupted me. “That- it’s still weird, but with you two I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“I’ll take it!” I cheered. “How did you find us, by the way? All I got was  _ ‘internet’ _ .” I walked her towards the window cart. My sonic aimed at the door we came from, locking it shut tight.

“Of course that’s where I started. Because I thought, how do you find the Doctor and Terra? And then I just thought, look for trouble and then they’ll turn up.” Donna reasoned. 

“Oooh, clever!” I praised her. Donna’s ideas would always get praises from me. Every time, new rule. 

“So I looked everywhere. You name it. UFOs, sightings, crop circles, sea monsters. I looked, I found them all.” Donna explained. “Like that stuff about the bees disappearing, I thought, I bet they’re connected. Because the thing is, Terra, Doctor, I believe it all now. You opened my eyes. All those amazing things out there, I believe them all. Well, apart from that replica of the Titanic flying over Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day. I mean, that’s got to be a hoax.”

I hummed. “Bees? Where are they going?”

“I don’t know. That’s what it says on the internet. Well, on the same site, there was all these conspiracy theories about Adipose Industries and I thought, let’s take a look.” Donna admitted.

“Alright, enough chatting. In you get!” The Doctor ordered. He climbed into the window cart.

“What, in that thing?” Donna eyed it warily.

I happily climbed up. 

“Yes, in that thing.” The Doctor snarked back.

“But if we go down in that, they’ll just call us back up again.” Donna excused. 

“No, no, no, because I’ve locked the controls with a sonic cage.” The Doctor explained. “I’m the only one that can control it. Not unless she’s got a sonic device of her own, which is very unlikely.”

“Well I’ve got one.” I pointed out.

“I gave it to you. I doubt I’ve given Foster one.” The Doctor countered.

That was good enough for me! I hopped in, holding my hand out towards Donna. “Don’t fret. We’ll catch you this time if you fall.”

Donna came forward. I helped her inside. The Doctor flicked the sonic at the controls. The cart started lowering.

We made it down a few floors. The Doctor stopped us at a window. He 

“Hold on. Hold on. We can get in through the window.” He told us. He used the sonic on it. Nothing happened. “Can’t get it open!”

“Well, smash it then!” Donna reached down. Picking up a wrench, she started smashing it against the window.

I looked up. Foster stood over us. The pen in her hand glowed blue at the tip. She aimed it at the cabling. 

“She’s got a sonic, and she’s not afraid to use it!” I warned.

The Doctor and Donna looked up. I grabbed the cable closest to me, biting on my sonic to keep a grip on it.

The cable snapped.

As I was on the side of that cable, I fell over the side. The Doctor and Donna just barely managed to get a hold on the cart. I caught myself on the fallen cable

“TERRA!” The Doctor yelled in panic. I pulled myself up enough so my hand could get the sonic from my mouth.

“TERRA!” Donna yelled but more high pitched. 

“DONKEY!” I yelled. Holding the metal beam on the cable, o looked up at them. Foster was smirked down after us. I clicked my sonic at her. The sonic fell from her hands.

“Hold on!” The Doctor called down.

I glanced to my side. The window to Foster’s office was right there. “I was gonna let go!”

I caught the falling sonic pen with my boot.  _ Fuck yeah. _ A quick kick up had it flying into my hand. 

“Doctor! She’s going to fall!  _ I’m  _ going to fall!” Donna warned.

I used Foster’s pen on the window closest to the Doctor. He looked at it then me, grinning brightly. 

“Oh Terra you genius!” The Doctor pulled it open.

My hands were hurting a bit. I ignored it. There were a list of priorities. 

“This is all your fault. I should’ve stayed at home.” Donna cried out.

“It’s awesome! I’ve got a new swing!” I cheered.

The Doctor held his hand out towards Donna. “Donna! Come on!”

Terrified, she latched onto the arm. The Doctor dragged her towards the window. “We won’t be a minute!” The Doctor told me. 

“Wee!” I started flinging my legs about so I could swing properly.

The Doctor nodded. “Yeah she’s fine.” He ducked his head back in.

That left me here alone.

_...now what? _

As I was swinging, the cart rotated. Not a lot, but enough to give me an idea.

With another swing my boot caught on the window. I made sure my other boot was there before I pushed myself off the cable. For a split moment I though I would fall and die. 

Lucky for me, my fingers dug into the concrete wall. A relieved breath came out. I slowly lowered myself to crouch over the window. 

Foster’s sonic buzzed in my hand. The window unlocked with a click. I heaved it open, sliding in the room with a roll. 

“Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?” Penny huffed. 

I sat up. “Hey. If I untied you, would you run away?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a journalist! I want answers!”

“Foster told you. She made far babies.” Standing up, I aimed my sonic at her ropes. Then I saw the sonic pen. “Hey...I wanted to make a sonic pen. Oooh! I bet I could mash these together later!”

Penny huffed impatiently. “Oi!”

“I know! It’s a great idea.” I cheered.

The door to the office got thrown open. I smiled wide at the Doctor and Donna. They stopped in confusion to look at me.

“Hey Doctor, I can make it a pen!” I cheered, holding up the two sonics.

“Oi! Let me out!”

“She’s such a downer.” I pouted. Donna laughed.

The Doctor used his sonic. Penny’s ropes fell away. “Sorry!” His other hand came up, taking my hand. As we walked out, I smiled. “Now do yourself a favor. Get out.”

We started running again.

_ Author I hope this never changes... _

==MGCB==

We made it to the call center level of the building. The Doctor’s plan had us leaving the same exit we entered from. To his disappointment, that path was blocked by Foster and her two guards.

Foster’s lips were curled into the most Cruella de Vil style of smirks. Instead of wanting skin puppies, she wanted to skin...skin. “Well, then. At last.”

“Hello.” Donna greeted. 

“I stole your pen!” I cheered, holding up the sonic pen.

“Nice to meet you, I’m the Doctor.” The Doctor cheered.

“I’m Terra!”

“And I’m Donna.”

“Partners in crime.” Foster remarked. “And evidently off-worlders, judging by your sonic technology.”

“Oh, yes, Terra’s still got your sonic pen.” The Doctor noted. 

I twisted it in my fingers, letting them dance. “It’s so pretty. I can’t wait to break it.”

“Break it?” Donna asked.

“I want a pen.” I answered.

“Ah that’s fine.” Donna replied.

“Yeah, and if you were to sign your real name, that would be?” The Doctor asked. 

“Matron Cofelia of the Five Straighten Classabindi Nursery Fleet. Intergalactic Class.”

“A wet nurse, using humans as surrogates.” The Doctor translated for Donna. 

“I’ve been employed by the Adiposian First Family to Foster a new generation after their breeding planet was lost.” Foster 

“Lost as in  _ ‘ah no we’re all on fire’ _ or as in  _ ‘somewhere with my left sock and sense of purpose’ _ ?” I asked.

Foster squinted her eyes at me, her eyebrows scrunching in confusion. “The second one.”

“What do you mean  _ lost _ ? How do you  _ lose _ a planet?” The Doctor asked. 

“Oh, politics are none of my concern.” Foster dismissed. “I’m just here to take care of the children on behalf of the parents.”

“What, like an outer space super nanny?” Donna asked. 

“Yes, if you like.”

“So. So those little things, they’re, they’re made out of fat, yeah, but that woman, Stacy Campbell, there was nothing left of her.” Donna asked.

“Oh, in a crisis the Adipose can convert bone and hair and internal organs. Makes them a little bit sick, poor things.” Foster pouted.

“Oh no!” I gasped. “Are they okay now?! Is there medicine for that-”

“What about poor Stacy?” Donna pointed out, glaring at Foster. 

“Right yeah-  _ poor Stacy!” _ I pointed a warning, shaming sonic at Foster. 

“Seeding a level five planet is against galactic law.” The Doctor warned.

Foster tilted her head in fake innocence. “Are you threatening me?”

“I’m trying to help you, Matron. This is your one chance, because if you don’t call this off, then I’ll have to stop you.” The Doctor warned.

“I hardly think you can stop bullets.” Foster’s guards raised their guns. N

“No wait!” I held up my hands, a sonic in each palm. 

“No, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.” The Doctor asked. 

“Can’t we just kiss and make up?” I asked.

Oh I could feel the confused stares...

“It’s a bit late for that.” Donna snarked.

“We can’t. They can!” I pushed the Sonics together, lighting them up.

_ THE POWER OF SCIENCE COMPELS ME  _

Donna pulled my hand down. The Doctor snatched the sonic pen from my hand.

“Hey!” I whined.

“Come on!” Donna huffed at both of us.

I ran after him to get it back.

==MGCB==

The Doctor brought us to the storage room from earlier. 

“Give it back!” I demanded. 

The Doctor started clearing out the closet. He was clearing the path to the hidden panel in the wall. “I know you want it but I need it!”

“It’s mine! I earned it!” I demanded.

“Well, that’s one solution. Hide in a cupboard. I like it.” Donna praised. 

The Doctor pulled off the wall panel. It revealed an intricate green lit inducer, looking like a skeleton with glow sticks for bones. He tossed the wall panel back. I grabbed it, tossing it out into the hall. Donna jumped back from it.

“I’ve been hacking into this thing all day, because the matron’s got a computer core running through the centre of the building. Triple deadlocked.” He held up the sonic pen. “But now I’ve got this I can get into it. So...?”

“ _ Fine. _ ”

“She’s wired up the whole building. We need a bit of privacy.” The Doctor pressed the sonic against the brightly lit rib cage portion.

Donna started to close the door. I slammed it open.

“Don’t close the door.” I cautioned.

“But he said-”

“I know what he said thank you for helping  _ don’t close this door _ .” I instructed. 

Donna stepped back from the door. She put a hand on my shoulder. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry.”

Guilt crushed me. It sucked to make Donna feel bad. 

“Just enough to stop them.” The Doctor was off in his own little world. “Why’s she wired up the tower block? What’s it all for?”

The Doctor wasn’t given any immediate answers. He kept scanning at the inducer, trying to switch it off.

“You look older.” Donna noted.

“Thanks.” The Doctor replied. He pulled out his glasses, popping them on his nose as he worked. 

Donna glanced at me. “I like the hair.”

“Oh, yeah? Thanks!” I cheered. I toyed with a bright orange lock. “Made it myself.”

“You said you died.” Donna pointed out. My smile stayed solid. “Was it...bad?”

“It was. I’ve had three years to get over it.” I assured her, patting her shoulder.

“Three?” Donna asked.

“Time travelers, Donna, it’s been longer for us than it was for you.” I reminded her.

“Wait hold on,  _ three _ ?” The Doctor asked.

“Eighteen months extra, Doc Brown.” I reminded. The Doctor nodded, going back to the large computer system.

“Still just you two?” Donna asked.

_ “I love him to bits!” _

“Yup. Well, no. We had this friend.” The Doctor explained. I was flushed with embarrassment, my cheeks glowing pink. “Martha she was called. Martha Jones. She was brilliant. And I destroyed half her life.”

_ “This is me getting out.” _

“But she’s fine, she’s good. She’s gone.” The Doctor babbled.

“What about Rose?” Donna asked. 

“Still lost.” The Doctor answered. “I thought you were going to travel the world?”

“Easier said then done. It’s like I had that one day with you lot, and I was going to change. I was going to do so much. Then I woke up the next morning, same old life. It’s like neither of you were ever there.” Donna explained. “And I tried. I did try. I went to Egypt. I was going to go barefoot and everything. And then it’s all bus trips and guidebooks and don’t drink the water, and two weeks later you’re back home. It’s nothing like being with you two. I must have been mad turning down that offer.”

“What offer?” The Doctor asked. 

“To come with you.”

The Doctor whirled over to her. “Come with us?”

Donna beamed. “Oh yes, please.”

“She said yes! No takesies-backsies!” I hugged Donna. She hugged me back, squealing in delight.

“Right.” The Doctor conceded that the next few trips would be difficult for him.  _ ‘Terra what just happened?’ _

_ ‘Donna said yes and now we get a new companion.’ _

_ ‘But...are you sure?’ _

_ ‘You want someone who will be around more often to see you being clever. Being around Donna makes me smile.’ _

_ ‘But she was so against it last time.’ _

_ ‘Well I guess she changed. She’s plenty excited now. She could’ve kept on running when we came here. Instead she followed us to the action.’ _

_ ‘She did, she did...what if that’s not why she wants to stay?’ _

_ ‘Why else?’ _

_ ‘To make sure I don’t hurt you.’ _

_ “Inducer activated.” _ The computer informed us. The lights went brighter.

“What’s it doing now?” Donna asked. 

“She’s started the programme.” The Doctor tried to stop it. He used the sonic pen, his own sonic, all at random to stop it.

“They’re only losing weight for now. The Matron ordered premature labor, so now  _ everybody’s  _ getting the Campbell’s chicken-noodle-whole kit and kaboodle treatment.” I explained.

“Is that when they convert-” Donna started.

“Skeletons, organs, everything.” The Doctor confirmed. “A million people are going to die. Got to cancel the signal.” I pulled out the golden necklace, giving it to him. The Doctor popped it open, revealing the inner circuitry. “This contains a primary signal. If I can switch it off, the fat goes back to being just fat.”

He started working it into the inducer. Just when I started to work, the inducer flared brightly.

“ _ Inducer increasing.” _

“No, no, no, no, no. She’s doubled it.” The Doctor ran his hand in his hair, panicking. “I need- haven’t got time. It’s too far. I can’t override it.  _ They’re all gonna die!” _

“Gah that’s not what we wanted!” I panicked.

“Is there anything I can do?” Donna asked, more calm than she’d been all night.

“Sorry, Donna, this is way beyond you. Terra, maybe, not you.” The Doctor told her. “Got to double the base pulse, I can’t.”

“Terra. Tell me. What does he need?” Donna prompted.

“A second shiny necklace.” I answered obediently. “He’s only got the one, and I couldn’t get a second for him.”

Donna held up her own pendant. I grinned. She moved it to where the Doctor could see.

He was an idiot.

“Doctor. Turn right.” I instructed in a robotic voice.

The Doctor did so. He saw the pendant. All three of us shared a smile. The Doctor quickly popped it open, plugging it in. The entire inducer powered down. The lights switched off.

The Doctor Donna Terra got no time to celebrate. Nope. Instead, the whole building shuddered and a buzzing noise came with it.

“What the hell was that?” Donna asked. 

“It’s the nursery!” I chimed, delighted. 

She stared at me for a second, jaw dropping into a perfect  _ ‘o’ _ . “When you say nursery you don’t mean a crèche in Notting Hill.”

“Nursery ship.” The Doctor confirmed.

The inducer whirred back on. The lights were a faded green, the stuff in the middle neon blue with alien letters flying across. The TARDIS was able to translate a couple for me. Words always took a minute, after all.

_ “Incoming signal.” _

“Hadn’t we better go and stop them?” Donna asked. 

Alien speech came from the inducer. To Donna it would’ve been gibberish, to myself and the Doctor it made perfect sense. 

“Hang on. Instructions from the Adiposian First Family.” The Doctor told Donna. “She’s wired up the tower block to convert it into a levitation post.”

The Doctor and I leaned in. We heard every word.

“That’s a problem. That sounds like a definite problem.” I commented.

“It is, just not for us. It’s for her!” The Doctor slapped the inducer once before running out. I followed, taking Donna’s hand so she could follow. The two of us gingers were laughing as we ran. 

==MGCB==

On the roof, the nursery ship was hovering over the Adipose Industries building. The tractor beams were pulling up the little Adipose babies. 

I stared at them, watching them float. If anyone saw my eyes they would just be two heart shaped pupils. The Adipose were just  _ too cute _ !

“What are you going to do then?” Donna asked. “Blow them up?”

“They are  _ babies. _ We have  _ limits _ !” I argued. Not too harshly, I was staring at something cute.

“They’re just children. They can’t help where they come from.” The Doctor agreed.

“Oh, that makes a change from last time. That Martha must’ve done you good.” Donna praised. 

_ “Are you like this now? The new you- just another American who likes using guns?" _

“She did, yeah. Yeah.” The Doctor replied. “She did. She fancied me. Terra fancied her.”

“Hey!” I whined, glaring at him. The Doctor shrugged helplessly.

_ ‘Sorry.’ _

_ ‘You should be. I didn’t want her to know!’ _

_ ‘It’s fine. What are the chances Donna will ever meet her?’ _

_ ‘Still!’ _

Donna shook her head at us, smiling at the absurdity. “Mad Martha, that one.  _ Blind _ Martha. Charity Martha. I’m waving at fat.”

“But  _ really _ cute fat.” I reasoned.

“Actually, as a diet plan, it sort of works.” The Doctor added in. “There she is!”

Foster floated below the children. She smiled up at them with pride. She was stopped just above the roof. 

“Hey there!” I shouted, running to the edge. 

“Matron Cofelia, listen to us.” The Doctor called out. 

“Oh, I don’t think so, Doctor and Terra.” Foster refused. “And if I never see you again, it’ll be too soon.”

“Oh, why does no one ever listen?!” The Doctor groaned. “We’re trying to help. Just get across to the roof. Can you shift the levitation beam?”

“What, so that you can arrest me?” Foster scoffed.

“Just listen. We saw the Adiposian instructions.” The Doctor warned her. “They know it’s a crime, breeding on Earth. So what’s the one thing they want to get rid of? Their accomplice.”

“I’m far more than that. I’m nanny to  _ all _ these children.” Foster looked up at the nursery ship, up at her many charges.

“Exactly!” I yelled. “What do Mom’s and Dad’s do to the nanny when they come home? They let her go!”

Foster blinked.

So did the beam.

She fell towards Earth, screaming. Donna yelped. The Doctor held her close, blocking Donna’s sight of the death.

_ We tried _

_ Not very hard, but we did _

_ I waved at baby fat. That’s a victory. _

==MGCB==

“You don’t even need it.” The Doctor argued.

I held up the pen beside my own sonic. “I want a pen though.”

“Just bin it.”

“What if somebody weird gets it? Huh? In my hands, it’ll cause less damage.”

“It’s a sonic, not a Death Note.” The Doctor argued.

Donna laughed at us both. “You two are-”

“Mad!” Penny shouted. All three of us looked behind us. Penny was still tied in her chair, hopping towards us. “You’re just mad. Do you hear me? Mad! And I’m going to report you for madness.”

Still tied up in her chair, she stormed off to the police. 

“Could she do that the whole time?” Why did I even untie her earlier if she could just stand up and walk out? This was insulting and hilarious all at once. 

Donna shook her head, sighing at Penny’s retreating figure. “You see, some people just can’t take it.”

The Doctor shook his head with her. “No.”

Donna “And some people can.”

_ ‘She’s coming with! We’re gonna go on space adventures with Donna Noble!’ _

_ ‘Yes, it’s all exciting.’ _

_ ‘Aren’t you excited?’ _

_ ‘Yeah. Yeah I am. But...I’m worried.’ _

_ ‘Worried? About what?’ _

_ ‘Our last companions...things didn’t go as expected. What if Donna gets hurt too?’ _

Flashes of the season finale came to me. They chilled me. Memories of Donna’s heartbroken face, or her mournful pleas and tears. The reactions of her family after, even when she married Shaun Temple. Donna was hurt so bad she couldn’t ever think about us causing...

I couldn’t offer encouragement or anything to counter. He was right. 

“So, then.” Donna cheered- no idea of the mental conversation that just took place. “TARDIS! Come on.” She grabbed my hand, dragging me off. I grabbed the Doctor’s.

_ Behold! _

_ The world’s weirdest conga line! _

Donna dragged us to a familiar alleyway. The very alleyway where- just this morning- we parked the TARDIS. Donna gasped when she realized.

“That’s my car! That is like  _ destiny _ . And I’ve been ready for this.” Donna went to the trunk of her car.

_ ‘Did- did you notice this?’ _ The Doctor asked, glancing between the TARDIS and her car.

_ ‘Well yeah but I didn’t know it was her car.’ _ I lied blatantly.  _ ‘We gotta take her along.’ _

_ ‘We don’t-’ _

_ ‘Please? I’ll be really good-’ _

_ ‘It’s not that. We can’t get hurt like that again.’ _

_ ‘We’re not better off alone.’ _

Donna showed off the trunk full of suitcases. I tilted my head at them. “I packed ages ago, just in case. Because I thought, hot weather, cold weather, no weather. They go anywhere. I’ve gotta be prepared.” She pulled out a case, dropping into into the Doctor’s arms. 

“You’ve got a, a hatbox.” The Doctor noted. 

“Planet of the Hats, I’m ready.” Donna replied, walking on air. Actually she was walking to the TARDIS. “I don’t need injections, do I? You know, like when you go to Cambodia. Is there any of that?”

“No, the TARDIS stops that. Wouldn’t want to start a new plague in the past cause of our modern day bacteria.” I assured her. Walking to her side, I unlocked the TARDIS door for her.

“That’s good, then. Because my friend Veena went to Bahrain, and she-” Donna dragged on, looking in confusion at the Doctor. “You’re not saying much.”

“No, it’s just.” The Doctor lowered all the bags to the ground. He looked at Donna where she stood in the TARDIS doorway. “It’s a funny old life, in the TARDIS.”

Donna frowned, trying to hide how much to hurt. “You don’t want me.”

“I’m not saying that.” The Doctor replied.

“He’s not! We’ve been chatting in our heads. He really,  _ really  _ wants it.” I assured Donna.

“But you asked me.” Donna reminded him. “Would you rather it just be the two of you?”

“No. Actually, no.” The Doctor answered. “But the last time, with Martha, like I said, it, it got complicated. And that was all my fault. He signed. “I just want a mate.”

Donna narrowed her eyes. “You just want  _ to _ mate?”

The Doctor stared in surprise. “I just want a mate!”

Donna scoffed. “You’re not mating with me, sunshine!”

“Aww, I remember when I said that!” I laughed, leaning on the wall to keep from falling.

“ _ A _ mate. I want  _ a  _ mate.” The Doctor insisted.

“Well, just as well, because I’m not having any of that nonsense.” Donna snapped. She waved her hand at him, disgusted. “I mean, you’re just a long streak of nothing. You know, alien nothing.”

“Okay- okay- I’m gonna regenerate from laughing.” I stepped between them. “We’re good.”

“There we are, then. Okay.” The Doctor replied, eyes still side from that awkward conversation.

“I can come?” Donna asked.

“Yeah. Course you can, yeah. I’d love it.” The Doctor said.

“Everything would be boring without you now.” I told Donna.

Donna smiled wide, holding open her arms. “Oh, that’s just-” Sge stopped just before we could hug. “Car keys.”

“Non sequiturs! She’ll fit right in.” I cheered.

The Doctor blinked at her. “What?”

Donna reached into her pocket. She pulled out a key ring. “I’ve still got my mum’s car keys. I won’t be a minute.” She rushed up the alley back where we came. 

If I strained myself to see, like really did, I could see a familiar blonde head of hair looking out over everything. It would be too late to tell the Doctor, Rose Tyler would fade off before I could manage.

_ Besides...I want Donna Noble to stay. I’ll keep her from getting hurt like last time. She’ll be better. _

The Doctor blew out a breath. “That’s decided then. She’s coming with.”

Laughter came back to me. It was a small window where I could really laugh at what happened in front of me. “She thought you wanted to mate with her.” I giggled.

“And you’ve started laughing.” The Doctor sighed. “Really?”

“She thought- you- and her-  _ Ha _ !” I laughed. Picking up some of her bags, I walked towards the TARDIS.

“It wasn’t  _ that _ funny.” The Doctor lifted up the other bits of luggage.

“The look on her face!” I laughed, stumbling into the TARDIS. 

The Doctor followed after me. He was smiling too, a light laugh coming from him. “That  _ was _ funny.”

We were both giggling when Donna ran in. The Doctor stopped giggling out of a sense of politeness. I had no such inclinations.

“Off we go, then.” Donna cheered.

I dropped myself into the pilot seat. My whole body was keyed up, full of energy. I just wanted to run, to buzz around the room like a Looney Toon hopped up on sugar. 

“Here it is. The TARDIS.” The Doctor introduced Donna to her in a more official way. It’s bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.”

“Oh, I know that bit.” Donna dismissed, smiling anyway. “Although frankly, you could turn the heating up.”

“Terra likes it colder.” The Doctor replied.

I waved. “It’s fun when it’s chilly!”

Donna shrugged. “Alright then.”

“So, whole wide universe, where do you want to go?” The Doctor asked her.

“Companions get to choose it on their first go!” I hopped out from my seat, going to Donna’s side.

“Oh, I know  _ exactly _ the place.” Donna answered.

“Which is?” The Doctor walked to the console, getting her ready to fly.

“Two and a half miles  _ that _ way.” Donna answered. 

==MGCB==

We were floating miles and miles above Donna’s house. She said we were waving to her grandad. He was a big believer according to her.

Well of course Wilf was a believer. He’s met us! Course he believed before even meeting us, still. He was getting the gift of a lifetime!

I waved at Wilf, excitedly. Donna stood in the open TARDIS doors. The Doctor stayed by the console to keep us floating. He was waving too.

After a long while waving, the Doctor set the TARDIS off to fly. Off to the stars with us three!

The Doctor pointed at me. “You have to finish your film.” 

I rolled my eyes, feeling nervous.

“Movie?” Donna asked.

“We were watching a film earlier. Terra never got to finish it. Gets a big squirrelly if she doesn’t.” The Doctor explained. 

“Before or after you tore apart my book?” I asked him.

“After.”

“Ah! Yes. We were watching  _ Wall-E. _ ”

“That movie about the rubbish robot?” Donna asked.

“He was  _ not _ a rubbish robot, he was the best ever robot!” I scolded.

“Terra. Donna meant a robot that picks up trash.” The Doctor told me. He gave Donna a firm stare also.

“...my bad Donna, you got it exactly right.” I praised her.

Donna glanced at the Doctor then to me. She looked a bit lost but willing to go along with it. “Right. Yeah. First a child’s movie, then space. Exactly what I signed up for.”

“Well it’s close to human bedtime. We don’t wanna run you ragged.” Looping her arm with mine, I led Donna towards the back. 

Her eyes widened. “There’s  _ more  _ back here?”

“Course there is! Where did you think you’d be putting all this?” The Doctor asked.

“Oh shut up!”

“Children! Please.” I couldn’t be too mad at the two of them. “We can hash this all out  _ after the movie _ !”

The Doctor and Donna stopped arguing. They just let themselves be dragged around by me.

_ The Doctor Donna Terra. Together at last... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go everybody! Happy, light hearted adventures with Donna Noble! She is beauty, she is grace, she is willing to slap you in the face! Donna I feel will also be a great friend for both the Doctor and Terra. The kind of friend they need right now.  
> Not that Terra won’t make other friends...whoops, spoilers...


	4. Fires of Pompeii

The first adventure with a new companion was never a first adventure. It was more like a second adventure. There was a meeting adventure, where we met them and did things. The second adventure really did introduce them to space, showing them how life was away from Earth. It really helped convince them that we were aliens.

Donna got two additional adventures. She dealt with spiders from outer space and also the Earth’s core, all while losing a fiance. She then dealt with tiny white fat babies. Donna Noble got more experience with aliens than Rose Tyler or Martha Jones ever did. She also had to put up with the Doctor, so that’s that. Meeting me is an accomplishment too, so Donna is just the best person to ever exist ever.

I will fight people on this.

I mean- I love all companions equally.

_ Yep. Said that. Sticking with it. _

Given that Donna Noble was special any which way you thought about it, Donna asked to be taken back in time. The Doctor set the TARDIS to random, taking us out in flight.

Donna’s fifth, if we’re counting things like that. 

I got to show her the best way to brave yourself on the railings! Donna copied me, laughing loudly as the TARDIS moved. The Doctor watched us with a giddy smile. He just loved this. The traveling bit- the excitement of showing someone the universe.

The TARDIS liked it too. She must. Why else would her first choice be  _ Rome? _

She landed with the usual fanfare. I leapt towards the door. New place, with new potential to save things, I am very excited. Who wouldn’t be feeling this way to see Pompeii before it was on fire?

I opened the door out the way. The Doctor and Donna behind me. I stepped out, feeling a past sun shine on me. The sounds of the Roman street market floated by my head. There was a guy selling fish, a guy selling goats, two ladies chatting about local gossip. Roman soldiers were walking in full getups, making me want to kick one into a large pit while screaming about Sparta. Or calling them all Oedipus. It’s a coin flip for what I’d do.

“Behold, the glory of the Ancient Roman Empire!” I announced. My arms were thrown up, displaying the market for Donna.

She beamed, her smile warmer than a volcano. 

“Well, not for them, obviously.” The Doctor pointed out. He walked over to my side. “To all intents and purposes, right now, this is brand new Rome.”

“Less fun sounding.” I commented.

“Oh, my God. it’s, it’s so  _ Roman! _ This is fantastic.” Donna pulled the both of us into a hug. We both laughed as she let us go. It wasn’t scary, really it wasn’t. Donna would never do anything bad in a hug. Donna was too Donna to be that cruel, or that hurtful. “I’m here, in Rome. Donna Noble in Rome.”

Because it was fun, we walked down the marketplace. People walked by in togas and tunics. They carried wares on their hips, and haggled prices. I could hear all of it as we passed them.

“This is just weird. I mean, everyone here’s dead.” Donna realized.

“Well, don’t tell them that.” The Doctor advised.

Donna’s smile fell flat. She eyed back up the alley we just walked through. “Hold on a minute. That sign over there’s in English.” I looked back. Sure enough, a sign written in English hung off a cart. There was graffiti around it too- classic, fun graffiti like _ ‘I was here’ _ or _ ‘so-and-so can fuck off’ _ . I love graffiti. “Are you having me on? Are we in Epcot?”

“Nah, Epcot doesn’t have any of this design quality in their Italy section.” I told her. “It’s super fun but super disappointing.”

“No, no, no, no. That’s the TARDIS translation circuits.” The Doctor explained. “Just makes it look like English. Speech as well. You’re talking Latin right now.”

Donna gawked at him. “Seriously?” The Doctor nodded. “I just said  _ seriously _ in Latin.” She giggled.

I giggled too. “It’s so cool!”

The Doctor grinned. “Oh, yeah.”

“What if I said something in actual Latin, like  _ veni, vidi, vici _ ?” Donna asked. She started walking through the market again. I was excited to see more graffiti so I followed.

I will admit, that was a question the other two hadn’t asked yet. I wonder, looking back, if they had done it which is why we got so many odd looks over the years. I know I’ve said a few choice words in other languages under my breath.

“My dad said that when he came back from football. If I said  _ veni, vidi, vici  _ to that lot, what would it sound like?” Donna asked, practically shaking with excitement.

“I’m not sure. You have to think of difficult questions, don’t you?” The Doctor asked.

“Science!” I decreed.

“I’m going to try it.” Donna agreed. She walked over to a nearby vendor.

As amazing as that was, I spotted something shiny in the road. I wanted a shiny Roman coin right before the apocalypse. That would be fun, more fun than penis graffiti or playing with the translation circuit.

_ Free money! _

I scooped up the coin. Instantly it was the best coin I ever saw in my life. Clearly I must devote the rest of my life to finding more of these coins. There had to be more, this coin had a Roman numeral three on the back. The coin was simple metal by feel. A quick sniff proved it authentic for this era. One side had the numeric.

The other side had...hmm...yeah there was no dancing around it.

_ Hehehe, dancing. _

Two people were having missionary sex. 

Darcy would like this coin.

_ ‘Terra, you’re missing this-’ _

_ ‘This coin likes to  _ dance _. _ ’ I took a picture of it, sending it off to Darcy. She would help me find these coins. She was so nice like that. Walking back to the Doctor I showed it off.

He blushed. He tried to snatch it from me. I pulled it back, grinning innocently.  _ ‘That’s not appropriate. Put it back!’ _

_ ‘Can’t do it!’ _ I tucked it into my pocket. Darcy would get a kick out of them, maybe a belated birthday present? Or an early one, when was her birthday again...?

The Doctor huffed. 

Donna came back to our side. Ah, guess I did miss the whole thing. Worth every cent. “How’s he mean, Celtic?”

“Welsh. You sound Welsh.” The Doctor answered. “There we are. Learnt something.”

“What a stupendous thing we’ve done for Science!” I twirled in place. There was a spot of red behind me. A familiar red, that I never met before today. 

_ We never said he wasn’t Donna’s grandad _

_ We never said she didn’t have ancestors in Rome _

_ We never said- _

_ We never said- _

_ We never  _ said _ - _

_ “I love him to bits!” _

_ If I told you I love you would it make you wanna stay- _

“Don’t our clothes look a bit odd?” Donna asked, pulling me out of what was bound to be a depressive funk.

I got into those any time I thought about Martha.

“Nah. Ancient Rome, anything goes. It’s like Soho, but bigger.” The Doctor replied.

“You’ve been here before then?” Donna asked. 

“Mmm. Ages ago. Before you ask, that fire had nothing to do with me. Well, a little bit. But I haven’t got the chance to look around properly.” The Doctor admitted. He happily walked up the alleyway. I skipped after him, looking at the graffiti and hearing snippets of conversation. “Coliseum, Pantheon, Circus Maximus. You’d expect them to be looming by now. Where is everything?”

“Did you think-” I began. My thought was that I could lie about the city, maybe the buildings were too tall. The words were cut off.

The Doctor dismissed it without hearing it. “No, no. I definitely landed us in Rome.” He insisted. “Try this way.”

We walked off together. I happily let the Seer woman follow behind. How fun all of it was. Sure this day was basically cursed by every god, that wouldn’t stop me from having fun.

We paused in one alley. Donna pointed ahead to the volcano. 

“Not an expert, but there’s seven hills of Rome, aren’t there? How come they’ve only got one?” Donna asked.

I hopped in place, excitedly. “Oh! Oh! Maybe it’s-”

That, of course, was when the ground started shaking. Obviously I was still in the air. Landing was not fun. I nearly fell down. The Doctor held my arm, trying to keep us both balanced. Donna grabbed my other hand.

Wow. 

Two people were touching me.

_ I finally got a support group...hahaha _

“I’ve got a bad feeling!”

“Wait a minute. One mountain, with smoke. Which makes this-” Donna realized. 

“Pompeii. We’re in Pompeii. And it’s volcano day.” The Doctor exclaimed.

I should be sad about all the death that’s about to happen...instead I’m sad remembering Jack.

==MGCB==

So the Doctor was less upset about Jack. Apparently the fact that we were on Volcano Day was a bigger issue. I don’t get it, it’s fine. The TARDIS was fine. She would have let me know if there was a danger.

Once we were back to where we landed, the Doctor and Donna gawked at the empty space. I searched the ground for more funny coins. There was  _ bound  _ to be another, right?

“You’re kidding. You’re not telling me the TARDIS has  _ gone _ .” Donna huffed. 

“Okay.” The Doctor and I answered. 

“Where is it then?”

“You told me not to tell you.” The Doctor reminded her. 

Donna glared. “Oi. Don’t get clever in Latin.”

“She does that sometimes.” I told Donna. “Goes off on her own. We lost a woman, we didn’t cherish her enough.”

“Hold on.” The Doctor ran over to a nearby seller. The same one Donna spoke with. “Excuse me. Excuse me. There was a box. Big blue box. Big blue wooden box, just over there. Where’s it gone?” 

“Sold it, didn’t I?” The seller answered.

Hey wait...I found the coin here! Maybe I can find another one? That would be  _ so cool _ . Darcy could have a cool coin, and so could I!

“But it wasn’t yours to sell.” The Doctor snapped.

“It was on my patch, weren’t it? I got fifteen sesterces for it. Lovely jubbly.” The seller cheered. There was a smug smile on his face, like the price was too much for the piece.

I got what he meant. The TARDIS was priceless. Any money spent on her was worth it. 

Speaking of money, I was yet to find any cool new coins.

“Who’d you sell it to?” The Doctor asked. 

“Old Caecilius.” The seller answered. “Look, if you want to argue, why don’t you take it out with him? He’s on Foss Street. Big villa. Can’t miss it.”

“Thanks.” The Doctor ran towards me. He turned on his feet, going back to the vendor. “What’d he buy a big blue wooden box for?”

“She’s beautiful, why  _ wouldn’t _ he want her?” I asked.

The seller gave no answer besides a shrug. The Doctor huffed, running towards me. “Terra quit looking for coins!”

“But  _ money-” _

The Doctor grabbed my hand, dragging me up the alley.

If I was normal, I would tell him we were forg-  _ (don’t forget, can’t forget, Dad said that’s not allowed anymore-can’t let Donna forget) _ \- we left behind Donna.

I was suddenly shocked back to another time. A Time  _ Lord _ . He grabbed my hand like this too, dragging me to the TARDIS exactly like this.

He wouldn’t let me stay behind either. 

==MGCB==

The TARDIS was fine. She- she screamed last time she was hurt. She  _ screamed so loud, I couldn’t hear anything else. She screeched and screeched and she apologized to  _ me  _ about it. About her pain. _

_ What an awful birthday. _

The Doctor found directions to where he wanted. I didn’t have to say a word. Or even pretend to say words. The Doctor decided to just drag me all around Pompeii. Not that I was going to complain, or even  _ think  _ about complaining. It wouldn’t get him to let go.

_ I killed his best friend _

_ He’s allowed to make me uncomfortable _

“Ha! I’ve got it!” The Doctor called out to Donna. “Foss Street’s this way.”

Donna panted, pointing the other direction. “No. Well, I found this big sort of amphitheatre thing. We can start there. We can gather everyone together.”

“Oh dearie...” I winced, trying to sympathize with her plight. On a better day I would want to do the same thing as Donna. This was Volcano Day. Only a select few would survive the day. Yes I would be the one choosing but why is that relevant?

“Maybe they’ve got a great big bell or something we could ring. Have they invented bells yet?” Donna asked.

“I have no idea!” I answered dutifully.

“What do you want a bell for?” The Doctor asked.

“To warn everyone. Start the evacuation.” Donna explained. The Doctor was still confused, albeit for different reasons now. I grimaced, awkwardly swaying on the balls of my feet. “What time does Vesuvius erupt? When’s it due?”

“It’s 79AD, twenty third of August, which makes volcano day  _ tomorrow _ .” The Doctor answered. 

“Plenty of time. We could get everyone out easy.” Donna decided.

“Not with a population this humongous. They’d be very slow in running.” I told her. “We can’t save Pompeii, Donna.”

“But that’s what you do. You’re Terra and the Doctor. You save people.” Donna reminded me.

_ Oh cool- she brought a knife to stab me in the hearts _

“We’re not good at it.” I shook my head, wrapping my arms around my middle. If I was feeling more anxiety from Donna’s future disapproval, that’s my business. “It’s- well it’s just- we’re just-”

“Pompeii is a fixed point in history.” The Doctor was way better at the  _ ‘saving people’  _ thing than me. We both sucked, he just sucked less. “What happens, happens. There is no stopping it.”

Donna scoffed. “Says who?”

“Says  _ me _ .” The Doctor stated.

“What, and  _ you’re _ in charge?” Donna asked. “Always thought that was Terra’s bit.”

“TARDIS, Time Lord, yeah.” The Doctor reasoned. 

“Donna, human, no.” Donna snarked.

“She got clever in Latin!” I giggled. The Doctor scolded me with a look. 

“We don’t need your permission. We’ll tell them ourselves.” Donna decided.

“Wait have I been drafted?” I asked.

“You stand in the marketplace announcing the end of the world, they’ll just think you’re a mad old  _ soothsayer _ .” The Doctor scolded. “Terra  _ won’t  _ join you in that. Even  _ she _ knows how mad that is. Now, come on. TARDIS.  _ We _ are getting out of here!”

The Doctor grabbed my hand again. If I wasn’t stressed out enough, the Doctor was always there to push me along! What a supportive friend. He dragged me with him, back up the road towards Foss Street. 

“Well, I might just have  _ something _ to say about that,  _ Spaceman _ !” Donna yelled.

“Oh, I bet you will.” The Doctor yelled back. “Why are we keeping her around again?”

“We need friends.” I answered.  _ I want my friends...Darcy...Jack...Groot...they were nice...they would let me blow up Pompeii. _

_ They would stop holding my hand _

The Doctor huffed.

==MGCB==

The earth started shaking. For many, this would cause them to trip. Or stumble. Or even slow down. Not the Doctor! He sped up!  _ Zooming _ through the shakes of the ground to reach the beloved TARDIS.

I was no better, he just liked getting the limelight.

We ran into the Roman villa. The Doctor went to a rumbling statue of Julius Caesar- the bitch. He was holding my arm still. I wanted to see the sewer grate. Could I see the monster beneath? Was the smoke that hard to breathe? Did it feel worse than the air around here?

_ I kinda wanted to see it _

_ Who wouldn’t want to see it, a giant rock monster that was also on fire? Not only that, but you can see THE FUTURE! _

_ Sure I would turn into stone but who also doesn’t want to be Medusa?! _

The Doctor put the bust back where it usually rested. I tilted my head at the head. Hey, wouldn’t it be fun if Darcy was there during the Ides of March? She would like that. “Whoa! There you go.” He assured Caecilius.

“Thank you, kind sir.” Caecilius turned to the three of us, completely flustered. “I’m afraid business is closed for the day. I’m expecting a visitor.”

“But that’s me, I’m a visitor. Hello.” The Doctor greeted.

Caecilius blinked at the Doctor, further flustered. “Who are you?”

The Doctor gave no hesitation. “I am Spartacus.”

“And so am I.” Donna joined in.

“I am-” The words stopped in my throat, lodging there like a bad cough. Some dust probably got in my throat as we ran over. Yeah. That makes sense.

“Mr and Mrs Spartacus, what a lovely daughter you have.” Caecilius praised us.

That- 

That’s not a thing

Thank the Author that Darcy isn’t here. She’d have a field day with that. 

“Oh no, no, no. We’re not, we’re not married or her parents.” The Doctor explained.

“I’m not her  _ mum! _ ” Donna added. Was she horrified or embarrassed? I can’t quite tell exactly. Maybe even both. I knew what I was though.

“I am confusion!”  _ Like, I didn’t even finish saying it? I mean I was gonna but I couldn’t. Why am I suddenly being labelled as their child? I do not like this. Do not give me new parents- _

_ He might be right _

_ Holy shiitake he might be right _

_ I mean I picked the ginger hair because the Doctor always wanted it and the bowtie too...and I became more outspoken because of Donna...and the gingerness is only a few shades brighter than her’s- _

_ Yeah Darcy can never find out about this _

“Oh, then brother and sister, with a cousin.” Caecilius decided. Slightly better than saying they were my parents.  _ Slightly. _

“Couzzzzin?” I asked, asking like an experiment from Stitch. It’s the only way Terra Three could say the word, I’ve tried others ways. It always comes back to Stitch, don’t it?

“Seriously?” Donna asked. She was offended now. That’s fun. It’s always great when companions get offended by something so fast.

Like we compared her to a 4H pencil but saying we’re related is where she draws the line. As a pencil, she can do that as she pleases.

“Yes, of course. You all look very much alike.” Caecilius decided.

The Doctor and Donna exchanged looks, looking each other over for similarities. “Really?” The two even looked towards me. All I could offer was a helpless shrug of the shoulders.

_ This is the price I pay for being included _

I would rather remember the cousin bit as a Stitch thing than as a Saxon thing. He told everyone I was his cousin too. Lucy was the only one that ever doubted- her brains were scrambled before she could do anything about it. That was the worst. The Simm-Master and I didn’t even look alike.

Back Home, I had family. They looked like me. They had my smile, my laugh, the same jokes about the same things. My cousins didn’t look exactly like me, but they had enough similarities that it could be ignored. My brothers looked more like the Master than I ever will- blond hair, pointed chins, one brother even had his ears. 

Mom looked more like Lucy. Mom let her hair down, in direct contrast of Lucy’s usual updo. Mom had bright blue eyes, Lucy had dark blue. Mom always looked at me like I was a buzzing gnat, Lucy looked at me like I was an alarm with no snooze option. 

_ Family. _

_ They love you because they’re contractually obligated! _

_ *sparkles* _

“I’m sorry, but I’m not open for trade.” Caecilius explained, like he wasn’t shifting my entire world view on it’s axis. 

All I wanted was to become Medusa. Why must I be punished for doing something I enjoy?

“And that trade would be?” The Doctor asked.

“Marble.” He tapped his chest, smiling warmly and brightly. It made me smile right back. This guy was so nice. “Lopus Caecilius. Mining, polishing and design thereof. If you want marble, I’m your man.”

The Doctor was barely paying attention to this spiel. He was tingling incessantly in my head.  _ ‘Do you see the TARDIS? Terra can you see it?’ _

_ ‘Around the wife to the right.’  _ I answered, then blinked. I followed my own instructions. Sure enough, there she was. That blue box in all her stunning glory, placed beside other priceless artifacts.

She was a treasure, she deserved to be respected for it.

Yes I am praising a blue box. She’s in my head, she can hear every word. I want her to hear it. I don’t praise my friends enough, I should start. Donna admitted to feeling like nothing before the Doctor, that she didn’t feel like the most important woman in all of creation. It’s not my job to convince her otherwise.

I will start by praising the TARDIS who can’t tell me off for being embarrassing. She can hide my bedroom but she cannot hide my affection.

The Doctor nodded at Caecilius, reaching into his pocket. “That’s good. That’s good, because I’m the marble inspector.” He pulled out the psychic paper, flashing it at the Roman man before walking past. I followed giving a delighted wave.

_ I wonder if it came with a business logo. ‘ _ Spartacus & Spartacus & Spartacus: Marble Inspectors’ _. That would be awesome- time for more t-shirts! They’ll go right beside the Hermits United ones. _

Metella gasped in dismay. “By the gods of commerce, an  _ inspection _ . I’m sorry, sir. I do apologise for my son.” She reached for her son’s wine bottle, dumping it into the small fountain behind her.

“Oi.” Quintus complained.

That was good Roman wine, don’t just toss it on our account. Who knows how Dionysus feels about wasted wine?

“And this is my good wife, Metella.” Caecilius introduced her. The Doctor walked around her, keeping in pace towards the TARDIS. Donna and I lagged back to give polite smiles. “I must confess, we’re not prepared for a-”

“Nothing to worry about. I’m, I’m sure you’ve nothing to hide. Although, frankly, that object looks rather like wood to me.” The Doctor noted. 

“I told you to get rid of it.” Metella hissed, speaking in low tones to her husband.

“I only bought it today.” Caecilius admitted.

“Ah, well. _ Caveat emptor. _ ” The Doctor cautioned.

“Buyer’s beware!” I translated proudly, raising my arm up like a proud school child.

Caecilius hummed, rolling with it. Seriously, such a nice guy. “Oh, you’re Celtic. There’s lovely.”

“The blue wooden box is a lovely find indeed, sir. You have good taste.” I praised him. “Your household gods must be so pleased by how you decorate, and provide for it.”

“The whats?” Donna whispered at me.

“Later.” I told her. 

“I’m sure it’s fine, but I might have to take it off your hands for a proper inspection.” The Doctor explained. 

“Although while we’re here, wouldn’t you recommend a holiday, _ Spartacus? _ ” Donna asked, giving the Doctor a challenging look.

_ Please don’t start a fight here _

_ I want these guys to think we’re cool _

_ Please Mom and Dad, don’t embarrass- _

_ Okay I can’t make that joke. It’s too funny. _

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, trying his best to stay nonchalant. “Don’t know what you mean, Spartacus.”

“Spartacus, Spartacus, can we not do this in public? Again?” I asked.

Was I listened to?

_ What a funny idea that is! _

“Oh, this lovely family. Mother and father and son. Don’t you think they should get out of town?” Donna explained.

Well that was rude of her, forgetting Evelina. “Don’t forget the daughter in the back.” She was a nice girl, really deserved better than she was getting. 

“How do you know that?” Metella asked. 

I blinked, looking up at them. _ ‘...did I say that out loud?’ _

_ ‘You did.’  _ The Doctor confirmed.

_ ‘Huh.’ _

“Why should we do that?” Caecilius asked, breaking up any awkward conversation.

“Well, the volcano, for starters.” Donna revealed.

Caecilius and his wife stared at Donna, confused. They were looking at her like she was speaking Celtic again. “What?”

“Volcano.” Donna repeated.

“What ano?” Caecilius asked.

“That great big volcano right on your doorstep.” Donna explained, huffing in her usual irritation when someone was calling her an idiot.

See I was prepared to lie to cover Donna’s ass. Always. Every time. All the time. The god, Vulcan, was a great stand in for just this moment. He’s a god of fire. If I remember correctly, days to honor him with August 23 so this was convenient. Plus he married Venus so he’s an all around hot dude. He gained that marriage hand through a pretty cool trick on his neglective goddess mom, so bonus points.

_ (I spent some time in ancient Rome before, okay? It was really fun- I got to help a slave girl marry a soldier. It really was adorable. The name Terra is actually Roman. I was literally born to be in this time.) _

I was fully ready to pin Donna’s story on Vulcan. The Romans would eat it up.

Right before I could even start I was interrupted by the Doctor. 

“Oh, Spartacus, Spartacus, for shame. We haven’t even greeted the household gods yet.” The Doctor pushed our backs, herding us over to the plaque depicting their household gods.

“Oh no!” I yelped in dismay. “Household gods are a big deal. That’s Vestia-”

“No time for that.” The Doctor scolded.

“Aww...but this is the one time I know more than you!”

“They don’t know what it is.” The Doctor told Donna. “Vesuvius is just a mountain to them. The top hasn’t blown off yet. The Romans haven’t even got a word for volcano. Not until tomorrow.”

“They do have a god named Vulcan, from which the word derives.” I informed Donna with delight.

“Oh, great, they can learn a new word as they die.” Donna snarked.

“That’s how I learn new words.” I told her. “Like...all my new words.”

“Well they don’t need to learn it at all.” Donna hissed.

Ah.

Yes, that hurt.

I dipped my fingers in the ceremonial dish, splashing them on the plaque.  _ ‘Household gods, Author, whichever one of you is out there, get me out of the situation.’ _

“Donna, stop it.” The Doctor scolded.

“Listen, Doctor, maybe Terra is fine with you telling her to shut up, and whatever sort of kids you’ve been flying round with in outer space, but you’re not telling  _ me _ to _ shut up. _ ” Donna scolded. “That boy, how old is he, sixteen? And tomorrow he burns to death.”

“His sister is younger.” I supplied, wincing. I heard it that time. “Poor thing...”

“And that’s  _ my  _ fault?”

“Right now, yes.”

_ Household gods, Mom and Dad are fighting. How do I make it stop? _

This is worse than back Home. The Spencers do a good job keeping my brothers from watching them argue. They had to work hard to hide it from me. Now the Doctor and Donna were fighting. Did I have to step in to interrupt the fighting, like I did back Home?

“Doctor. Donna. Not in front of the gods!” I pleaded. “You’re embarrassing me!”

Neither looked contrite at my scolding. If anything, they were more annoyed with each other.

“Announcing Lucius Petrus Dextrus, Chief Augur of the City Government.” A man announced.

_ Thank you, Household gods and Author, whichever one of you actually did this for me. _

The three of us turned back. The man himself- Lucius- was walking in, wearing a white cloak covering most of his body, and flanked by two soldiers. He wore a very stony expression, sneering at everyone in the room.

“Lucius. My pleasure, as always.” Caecilius greeted, rushing to stand by his side.

“Quintus, stand up.” Metella scolded. Quintus obeyed with an ever rebellious roll of the eyes.

“A rare and great honor, sir, for you to come to my house.” Caecilius held out his hand. Lucius glared at it with utter distaste.

“The birds are flying north, and the wind is in the west.” He stated.

“Quite. Absolutely. That’s good, is it?” Caecilius asked.

“The bird is flying against the wind.” I whispered to them. “He’s telling them that somebody they know isn’t who they appear to be, that they must be cautious of those without their best interest in mind.”

Lucius narrowed his eyes my way. Ah, so lovely when we’re called out so fast.

_ ‘Terra how did you know that?’ _ The Doctor asked.

_ ‘Learned bird prophetic meanings in my twenties. Trying to impress a mentor who loved them.’ _ I asked.

Lucius either heard me and didn’t care, or hadn’t heard. Given my luck I know which it was. “Only the grain of wheat knows where it will grow.” Lucius told the family.

“There now, Metella. Have you ever heard such wisdom?” Caecilius asked his wife. He was no doubt wondering if she understood any of it.

“Never. It’s an honor.” Metella replied politely.

Caecilius motioned towards the Doctor, Donna, and I. “Pardon me, sir. I have guests. This is Spartacus and, er, Spartacus, and lastly Spartacus.”

I waved at him.

“A name is but a cloud upon a summer wind.” Lucius dismissed, narrowing his eyes on the Doctor.

“But the wind is felt most keenly in the dark.” The Doctor countered.

“Ah. But what is the dark, other than an omen of the sun?” Lucius asked.

“I concede that every sun must set.” The Doctor replied.

“Ha.”

The Doctor motioned to Quintus. “And yet the son of the father must also rise.”

“Damn. Very clever, sir.” Lucius appraised the Doctor, looking more impressed than originally. “Evidently, a man of learning. The same cannot be said of your  _ companion. _ ”

I glared right back. “Even so, I am not so poorly educated to miss your stone cold heart, Monsieur.”

_ Hey wow when do I shut up? _

_ Seriously where’s her off switch? Can the voice box stop working sometime soon? I don’t like this. Smart mouthing people in charge hasn’t gone well for me lately. _

The Doctor held my arm. The grip was tighter than needed. Donna took a stance at my side, glaring at Lucius. “Oh, yes. But don’t mind us. Don’t want to disturb the status quo.”

_ Oh _

_ Oh oh no- _

_ Stick to the stuff you know- _

“He’s Celtic.” Caecilius excused.

“We’ll be off in a minute.” The Doctor explained.

“Won’t-”  _ Won’t cause a fuss, won’t be a problem, won’t trouble you any longer.  _ Words caught in my throat. I coughed, trying to fix it. “Won’t-”

Caecilius nodded at two slaves. They brought in the marble slab. “It’s ready, sir.”

“I’m not going.” Donna shook her head.

The Doctor guided us both towards the TARDIS.  _ ‘Don’t pay him any mind, Terra. He’s just an augur. You got him good with that bit.’ _

_ ‘What bit?’ _

_ ‘About the stone heart. It was good. If he knew how smart you really were, it would blow his mind. We’ll be long gone, maybe we could visit a different period in Rome. Let you talk about it however you like.’ _

_ ‘Wait what?’  _ “Donna’s right. We can’t leave.” I told him. 

“We’ve got to.” The Doctor insisted.

“Well, I’m not.” Donna huffed.

“But Doctor, his marble-” I looked over my shoulder towards them. Caecilius was lifting a velvet blanket from the slab.

“The moment of revelation. And here it is.” Caecilius boasted.

_ ‘Doctor look at it!’ _

The Doctor did so. He stopped us moving when he caught sight of it. The marble slab was dark green with silver implements. The implements were very similar to a modern day motherboard circuit.

“Exactly as you specified. It pleases you, sir?” Caecilius asked Lucius.

“As the rain pleases the soil.” Lucius replied, stiff as a board.

The Doctor walked back over to it. I walked by his side, skipping.  _ Just like that, the Doctor’s convinced to stick around. We’ll blow up Pompeii for sure by this time tomorrow!  _ “Oh, now that’s different. Who designed that, then?”

“My Lord Lucius was very specific.” Caecilius explained.

“Where’d you get the pattern?” The Doctor asked.

“On the rain and mist and wind.” Lucius answered.

“Water is bad for things like that.” I explained, feeling ever so helpful.

“But that looks like a circuit.” Donna pointed out.

“Made of stone.” The Doctor agreed.

“Do you mean you just  _ dreamt  _ that thing up?” Donna asked.

Lucius sneered at her. Time to kill stone. It’s possible, I’m looking at him. He can’t move. It would be so fucking easy- oh wait, wrong stone statues... “That is my job, as City Augur.”

“What’s that, then, like the mayor?” Donna asked.

“Please don’t mind her.” I requested. “She’s- uh-” The words got stuck again. I decided to just have a bit of fun. “-still new to Roman ways.”

“She’s from Barcelona.” The Doctor excused. He turned us both around to whisper in Donna’s ear. “No, but this is an age of superstition. Of _ official  _ superstition. The Augur is paid by the city to tell the future.”

I looked over towards the entrance to the back of the house. Evelina was walking out. Her skin was grayer and grayer, with heavy bags under her eyes. The yellow dress she wore didn’t do much to convince me she was healthy. All it did was make her look more sickly.

“The wind will blow from the west? That’s the equivalent of ten o’clock news.” The Doctor explained.

“They’re laughing at us.” Evelina revealed. The others looked over to her. “Those two, they use words like tricksters. They’re mocking us.”

“Two?” I asked. “I assure you, Miss, my friends mean no offense.”

Metella went to Evelina’s swaying side. “I’m sorry. My daughter’s been consuming the vapours.” She excused.

“Oh for god’s, Mother. What have you been  _ doing  _ to her?” Quintus asked, horrified.

“Not now, Quintus.” Caecilius scolded.

“Yeah, but she’s sick. Just look at her.” Quintus told his dad.

Nobody ever listens to the teenagers.

“I gather I have more than one rival in this household.” Lucius noted. “Another with the gift.”

Metella’s smile said it all. “Oh, she’s been promised to the Sibylline Sisterhood. They say she has remarkable visions.”

“The prophecies of women are limited and dull. Only the menfolk have the capacity for true perception.” Lucius explained.

“I’ll tell you where the wind’s blowing right now, mate.” Donna warned under her breath.

The world shook again. Everyone shifted about, the family looked ready to save the objects around the house. The tremor stopped before long. 

“The Mountain God marks your words. I’d be careful, if I were you.” Lucius warned.

“Consuming the vapours, you say?” The Doctor asked Metella.

_ Right yeah- danger-danger! _

“They give me strength.” Evelina argued. 

“It doesn’t look like it to me.” The Doctor argued, still trying to comfort her. 

“Is that your opinion as a doctor?” Evelina asked.

The Doctor tensed. “I beg your pardon?”

“Doctor. That’s your name.” Evelina replied. She sounded dazed, like something hit her on the head with this knowledge.

“How did you know that?” The Doctor asked, eyes wide.

Evelina declined to answer, focusing instead on Donna. “And you. You call yourself  _ Noble _ .”

“Now then, Evelina. Don’t be rude.” Metella cautioned.

“It’s okie dokie, let her speak.” I asked.

Evelina turned her head towards me. I tilted my head, curious to her answer. “You came from so far away...so very far away...”

I bristled at the remark. It was true, arguably I’d come from farther away than the Doctor and Donna. They traveled through time and space, I moved through whole realities to get here. That Evelina could see that...that she could even say anything about it...that was impressive.

And terrifying.

“The female Soothsayer is inclined to invent all sorts of vagaries.” Lucius dismissed.

“Oh, not this time, Lucius. No, I reckon you’ve been out-soothsayed.” The Doctor told him, looking at Evelina with an appraising eye.

Lucius narrowed his beady eyes on the Doctor. “Is that so, man from Gallifrey?” Lucius asked.

The Doctor whirled towards the Augur in shock. “What?”

“The strangest of images. Your home is lost in fire, is it not?” Lucius asked.

The world around us began to turn red. I could feel the heat on my skin, burning-burning- _ burning- _ it was so hard to breathe, to take in clean air. All of it was infected with  _ them. _

_ Yours will burn too, if I have anything to say about it _

_ As much as I value human life, I can’t risk the whole of creation on you. _

_ The Daleks took Pyrovile, I can’t fix that. Nor can I fix what you’ve done here without committing an apocalypse. Nor will I regret it. _

_ Because I will see Jack again _

_ I will see Martha _

_ I’ll see the Metacrisis _

_ I’ll... _

_ I’ll try to save Donna. _

_ If it’s her or Pompeii, there is no choice. _

“Doctor, Terra, what are they doing?” Donna asked, scared.

“And you, daughter of...London.” Lucius accused.

“How does he know  _ that?! _ ” Donna asked.

“They’re psychic.” I reasoned.

“More than they should be for this time.” The Doctor argued.

“You, child of the stars.” Lucius added. His sneer doubled. “Cast aside by your own god. Born from  _ nothing, _ the same as your sight.”

“Better born from nothing than of your sight borne.” I smiled my least favorite smile at the Augur. “Tell me: which god provided your sight, allowed you to see things beyond? Who do you give your loyalty to?”

Lucius sneered but like with  _ more  _ hate. Like someone stuck a lemon in his mouth and  _ then  _ a dog shit on his shoe. He’s wearing a sandal- that would be very unpleasant. “This is the gift of Pompeii. Every single oracle tells the truth.”

_ Shiitake _

_ Basketball on a stick _

_ Fuck _

_ That- that explains so much and I am now genuinely scared of what this means _

_ I haven’t been able to lie all day _

Donna shook her head, fearful. “That’s impossible.”

“Doctor,  _ she is returning.” _ Lucius warned.

“Who is? Who’s she?” The Doctor asked.

“And you, daughter of London.  _ There is something on your back. _ ” Lucius warned.

Donna checked her back. The Doctor looked at her. I kept my attention on Lucius. “What’s that mean?” Donna yelped.

“Child of nothing... _ they wait for you.” _ Lucius warned.

I gave him a curious look. “Stone hearted... _ legend shall become history, three of the same shall cause the deaths of your empire, and the destruction of nature.” _

“Even the words  _ Doctor _ and  _ Terra  _ are false.” Evelina continued on. “Your real names are hidden. It  _ burns _ in the stars, in the Cascade of Medusa herself. Lost in the Chaos...a traveler that will never tire...You are a Lord, sir. A Lord  _ of Time. _ ” She began to sway. I rushed around the Doctor to catch her. “You-”

“Sleep.” I instructed.

Evelina’s eyes rolled back in her head. I caught her before she could hit the marble floor.

“Evelina!” Metella cried out in panic.

As I held the budding psychic, I reached for her bandaged arm. Sure enough, it was hard as stone beneath. She was already losing herself to the Pyroviles.

_ Wouldn’t it be fucked up if I got a stone arm too? _

==MGCB==

Metella took her daughter away to another part of the home. When the excitement died down, Lucius and his men left with their purchased marble. Quintus went off to drink, not that I blamed him. The Doctor and I asked to see the hypocaust where Evelina received her visions. Once showing us, he told us he was going to check on Metella and Evelina.

As the Doctor and I tried to heave off the metal grate, more ash flew up into my face. It burned worse than earlier. Do you know what it’s like to breathe in a living thing, to feel something moving inside your lungs and know that no amount of coughing will get it out?

There was an alien shedding his old skin. That skin was stuck up my nose, crawling around my lungs trying to make it a permanent residence. I reached out to him.

_ ‘Doc Brown?’ _

_ ‘Everything alright? You looked shaken up earlier.’ _

_ ‘The sky is blue.’ _

_ ‘Sorry?’ _

_ ‘The sky is blue. You can’t have the sex coin. I am not traveling in a monkey circus.’ _

The Doctor paused in his prying of the grill to eye me. Cautious and worried as ever. “Terra. What are you doing?”

“Trying to lie. I haven’t been able to all morning.” I answered.  _ Fuck, didn’t want to say that. Really didn’t want to say that. Did I just answer any questions spoken too? What the HELL-  _ “I love my boots. Your driving is awful. Donna is my favorite companion and I’m only saying that because I am still  _ hopelessly _ in love with-”

I clapped my hand over my mouth, panting with the beats in my chest.  _ Fuck _ I was scared. This was  _ scary.  _ I don’t want to be like this. How do people live like this, telling the truth all the time?

The Doctor reached his hand towards me. I flinched back. What if he touched me, and I said how much I disliked it? If I admitted how much being touched  _ hurt  _ now? I couldn’t do that to him. He would be crushed. 

“Okay. That’s new. This place just gets more and more impossible.” He nodded at me. “Did you try a scan for anything?”

“W-with my sonic?”

“Yes.” He went back to heaving the grill from the stone. “Mt hands are full of I would’ve.”

I shifted nervously. Pulling mine out, I eyed the device. Combining the screwdriver with Miss Foster’s pen hadn’t taken any work. It even gave my sonic some interesting upgrades- new programs for me to use at my leisure. The sonic was such a beautiful device, a new fun thing...could it detect power on  _ this  _ level?

Scan me for something in the air itself? Something that’s all around?

I don’t think my sonic is capable of that just yet.

Caecilius walked back to us. I peeked up, tucking the sonic back in my pocket. The Doctor gave me a curious look. 

“Different sort of hypocaust?” The Doctor noted.

“Oh, yes. We’re very advanced in Pompeii.” Caecilius explained with delight. “In Rome, they’re still using the old wood-burning furnaces, but we’ve got hot springs, leading from Vesuvius itself.”

“Who thought of that?” The Doctor asked. 

“The Soothsayers, after the great earthquake, seventeen years ago. An awful lot of damage. But we rebuilt.” Caecilius explained.

“Didn’t you think of moving away?” The Doctor asked. He considered it before shrugging. “Oh no, then again, San Francisco.”

_ ‘Nah, people still live in Pompeii in our time.’ _ I told him.  _ ‘It’s very pretty during the summer.” _

_ ‘You’ve been?’ _

_ ‘Seemed like a good idea at the time...’ _

Caecilius was still stuck on  _ ‘San Francisco’.  _ “That’s a new restaurant in Naples, isn’t it?”

“Su-” I coughed. Turning my head away, I tried to avoid breathing in the ash. That would be hard, as this house had it pumping up like I would pump air conditioning. 

As I coughed- in time with me- there was a rumbling below. The Doctor finally got the grill off. He leaned down to look below.

_ ‘We’ll figure it out, Terra. I promise.’  _ “What’s that noise?” He asked.

“The-” I bit my tongue, hissing.

“Don’t know.” Caecilius answered. My slip sounded more like a cough, so I guess he wrote it off. “Happens all the time. They say the gods of the Underworld are stirring.”

“They are-” I choked down the answer. Just because people asked, didn’t mean I had to answer. Fuck I hate this. This sucks.

The Doctor rubbed my back. It soothed the aches, calming me down so I stopped coughing. I was gonna vomit at this rate. “But after the earthquake, let me guess. Is that when the Soothsayers started making sense?”

“Oh, yes, very much so. I mean, they’d always been, shall we say, imprecise?” Caecilius admitted. The Doctor and I nodded. I rubbed at my throat, trying to stop the soreness. “But then the Soothsayers, the Augurs, the Haruspex, all of them, they saw the truth again and again. It’s quite amazing. They can predict crops and rainfall with  _ absolute _ precision.”

“Yet none of them speak of tomorrow...” I mused.

“No. Why, should they?” Caecilius asked. I blinked, fighting the urge to  _ answer _ . “Why do you ask?”

“T-The-  _ uh-  _ Tomorrow!  _ The sun will come out tomorrow...it’s always a day away.” _ I babbled. Author, please  _ please _ let that be enough.

“The soothsayers, they all consume the vapours, yeah?” The Doctor asked.

Caecilius glanced at me, then back to the Doctor. “That’s how they see.”

“Ipso facto.” The Doctor reached inside the grate.

I looked inside, trying to spot a Pyrovile through the smog.  _ ‘I shouldn’t need to translate that, right?’ _

_ ‘Thought you would like it. A little translation loophole.’ _ The Doctor joked.

_ ‘I mean yeah but like...’ _ The game was very funny. Still it upset some part of me that Caecilius was being left out of the joke. That everyone was. Yeah, them calling us Celtic was funny for a while...the joke got less funny when people gave us those  _ looks. _

Those looks that said we didn’t belong.

That we didn’t fit in.

Like an American in a room full of Brits.

_ If they bring it up one more time- _

The Doctor pulled out the small rocks. “They’re all consuming this.”

“Dust.” Caecilius guessed.

“Tiny particles of rock.” The Doctor answered. “They’re breathing in Vesuvius.”

_ ‘So the sonic shouldn’t have noticed anyway.’ _

The Doctor’s face went stony. Pun not intended. He stood up on his feet, marching towards where we last saw Quintus. 

Caecilius and I watched him go, briefly confused. I stood up, smiling politely. “Pardon him, sir. He’s a bit stressed.” I cleared my throat, straight in bout my dress. 

“It started out as a cough for Evelina as well.” I tensed. The aged face of Caecilius tilted into a frown, expressive as a tragic Broadway song. “You must have the favor of the gods for that to start so soon.”

_ Shite _

_ That’s not helpful _

_ Sir you are awful at comforting people _

Stuck with the values Mom pushed in my head, I smiled. “Thanks!” I skipped off after the Doctor. 

He wasn’t very chipper. That confused me. Usually things like this perked him up. New things, adventure, confusion, what more could he want? Was it that the sonic couldn’t notice the odd ash?

“Doc Brown?” I asked, walking up behind. 

The Doctor stopped. He let me catch up to his side. I brushed back my hair. 

“So...we’re going after Lucius, yeah?”

“Yes.” The Doctor answered after a tense pause. “He knows more than he’s saying. Do you remember what you said earlier?”

“He said a god gave him his visions.” I answered, wincing. “Uh. Humans getting treatment from gods turns out to be aliens. Like the Jagrafass. Is that what you think’s happening here?”

“Yes.” The Doctor answered. Oh well he was definitely humoring me. I don’t need that kinda snark right now. It’s honestly not what I need here. Would it kill him to admit that this was aliens? “Exactly. Time to find local knowledge.”

“But no Door’s-In-Head.” I chuckled. “That’d be bad.”

“Very.” The Doctor smiled too. The tension that was there eased somewhat. He wasn’t good yet. It would be a slow process. “We’ll stop this- whatever it is that’s causing it.”

“Course we will. We’ll be marvelous!”

Together we walked up to a lounging Quintus. He was enjoying a new goblet of wine.

“Quintus, me old son. This Lucius Petrus Dextrus. Where does he live?” The Doctor asked. 

“B-” I bit down on my tongue. Did I seriously know this answer too? I don’t like that. 

Quintus waved us off. “It’s nothing to do with me.”

_ ‘Give me the coin.’ _

_ ‘No! This is a gift for Carl!’ _

_ ‘Terra I need the coin’ _

_ ‘Nope. I got this.’ _

I knelt down by his side. “Let me say, Quintus.” Quintus eyed me with a raised dismissive eyebrow. The classic teenager stare, it was familiar on my face. “Whatever Lucius is involved in, it’s killing your sister.” His eyes hardened, trying to be dismissive. “You saw her condition as well as I did. If the Doctor and I don’t get to where Lucius Petrus Dextrus lives, then by this time tomorrow  _ your sister will perish under Vulcan’s wrath.” _

Quintus swallowed, fear in his eyes. Gotta activate that protective sibling instinct. He was the only one to show concern about her condition at that moment, worried more for her status as a Soothsayer than as a person. Quietus could hide it by drinking all he liked. I knew the look. “You can save her?”

I crossed my hearts. “Promise.”

_ I will personally see to it that your sister is saved. _

_ At whatever cost to me. _

_ (Except the sex coin, I really like the sex coin) _

==MGCB==

Quintus led the way by torchlight. The sun had long since set over Pompeii. The Doctor and I followed, tense for different reasons. I was worried for the future, of what failure here could mean, what damage my lack of lying could cause.

The Doctor’s worries were harder to place. Well not exactly. I had a feeling about what caused him such distress. It couldn’t possibly be true though. 

_ Why would he worry about me? _

_ The Master said it over and over again for months, that if he really cared he would’ve been there. The Doctor didn’t care about me. _

_ How could I be so important to him, after all I did to his precious Earth? _

So yeah it was probably the whole  _ ‘humans being threatened by aliens’  _ thing.

Quintus led us to the side of Lucius’ house. “Don’t tell my Dad.” Quintus begged. 

I ran up to the window climbing in like a spider monkey. Throwing open the shutters, I leaned inside. The hypocaust was fuming. The Doctor joined me.

“Only if you don’t tell mine.” The Doctor replied.

“Or mine!” I giggled. 

_ Hahaha, Dad would lose his fucking mind if he heard me talking so much about Roman gods and non-Christian things _

I leapt into the house. The Doctor reached down. “Pass me that torch.”

The Doctor jumped in, taking my side. In one hand was the torch, the other held my shoulder.

I shrugged it off. With that handled I walked towards the curtain. The Doctor and Quintus followed me. Pulling back the curtain revealed multiple marble blocks of circuits.

“The  _ liar _ . He told my father it was the only one.” Quintus huffed. 

“It was. All the others are varied just slightly, enough for a real motherboard.” I explained before smacking my own cheek. “I  _ really  _ hate this. This sucks. It sucks  _ so much _ .”

“She’s right. Plenty of marble merchants in this town. Tell them all the same thing, get all the components from different places, so no one can see what you’re building.” The Doctor reasoned.

“Which is what?” Quintus asked.

“The future, Doctor.” Lucius emerged from the shadows, guards behind him. “We are building the future, as dictated by the  _ gods _ .”

“What future, I wonder?” I turned back to the marble blocks. Puzzles were always fun. When was the last time I did a puzzle like this? “Turn this way, add one, carry the three, drop down flip it and reverse it-”

“Keep that one upside down.” The Doctor advised.

“ _ Reverse it! _ ” I repeated. Did he really think I  _ couldn’t _ do a computer puzzle? “Done! Ooo it’s so pretty! What does it do?”

“Enlighten me.” Lucius ordered.

“What, the soothsayer doesn’t know?” The Doctor taunted. 

“The seed may float on the breeze in any direction.” Lucius dismissed.

The Doctor sighed. “Yeah, I knew you were going to say that.” The Doctor tapped a marble slab. “But it’s an energy converter.”

“An energy converter of what?” Lucius asked, sneering as usual. 

“I don’t know. Isn’t that brilliant?” The Doctors beamed. “I love not knowing. Keeps me on my toes. It must be awful being a prophet, waking up every morning, ‘ _ is it raining?’ ‘Yes, it is, I said so.’  _ Takes all the fun out of life. But who designed this, Lucius, hmm? Who gave you these instructions?”

“I think you’ve babbled enough.” Lucius decided.

“Lucius, really, tell us.” The Doctor asked. “Honestly, we’re on your side. We can help.”

“You insult the gods. There can be only one sentence. At arms.” Lucius ordered. His soldiers raised their short swords.

I slid into a defensive position. Any weapon I had would complicate matters beyond necessary. The only way I could get away with it was with killing Quintus too. It would be awkward to explain a gun to Pompeii era people.

“Oh, morituri te salutant.” The Doctor muttered.

“Celtic prayers won’t help you now.” Lucius dismissed.

_ If they bring it up oNE MORE TIME- _

“It just means we salute those that will kill us.” I supplied. “You can salute us back whenever you like.”

“But it was them, sir. They made me do it. Mister Dextrus, please don’t.” Quintus pleaded.

“Come on now, Quintus, dignity in death.” The Doctor conceded. “I respect your victory, Lucius.” He held out his hand. Lucius put on his classic sneer in reply. “Shake on it? Come on. Dying man’s wish?”

Lucius denied it.

The Doctor lashed out, quick as a whip. He snapped off the Augur’s right arm. It had become solid stone. Lucius yelled out in pain.

Quintus gawked. “But he’s-”

“My friend called you  _ stone hearted _ . Wasn’t a general insult, was it?” The Doctor “Show me.”

Lucius threw off the cloak, exposing the arm. Or what remained of it. The Doctor snapped off a good chunk, to the elbow. Everything to his shoulder calcified into stone. This must’ve been painful. The whole while of it, every single cell shifting into stone. Who knows what else of him is stone, hidden beneath common decency. “The work of the gods.” He spat at us.

“He’s stone.” Quintus stated, his jaw dropped.

“Knew it!” I cheered.

“Armless enough, though.” The Doctor tossed the arm up. “Whoops.”

I pulled out my sonic, pointing at the puzzle circuit boards. The sparks sent the marble to the ground. “Quintus!” I ordered.

Quintus tossed the torch at the closest guard, giving us an escape route.

I knew I was right not to kill him.

The three of us ran to our escape window. I leapt out, barrel rolling on the ground. Once on my feet I gave a quick glance back to be sure the boys were following me.

The Doctor made sure I was out before shouting “Run!”

We ran down the road. We stopped near a square as things quieted down. 

“No sign of them. Nice little bit of allons-y.” The Doctor mused to me, smiling with the inside joke. “I think we’re all right.”

“You had to say that, huh?” I asked.

“We are!” He whined.

“But his arm, Terra.” Quintus panted. “Is that what’s happening to Evelina?”

“You’ve seen it. I felt it.” I replied. “The skin beneath her wrapping- it’s a slow process. She still has-”

The world shook. I stopped, trying to find the source. The ground was shaking. Looking up another alley, I saw things falling over. 

“What was that?” The Doctor asked. The ground shook again.

“The mountain?” Quintus asked.

“Closer.” I knelt down, feeling the dirt beneath my hand-

_ Hey another coin! _

I picked it up, smiling proud. This coin was ‘VI’. The sex position was...doggy. Complete with leash! Darcy will want both. Honestly these were so cool, I kinda wanted to keep it too.

“Footsteps.” The Doctor realized. 

Oh right. A Pyrovile was about to kill us. Money can wait for later. 

Quintus “It can’t be.” Quintus shook his head.

I tucked the coin aside with the other. “The footsteps are below.” As I spoke, items up the way fell over as the Pyrovile marched down. Chickens were clucking in fear, and clay potts shattered on the ground.

“What is it? What is it?” Quintus asked.

“Swim away!” I yelled, running off towards Foss Street. The hypocausts behind us began to blow off.

The Doctor and Quintus started running then.

==MGCB==

At Caecilius’s house, the shaking was worse than ever. We weren’t running very fast, compared to a giant rock monster. 

“Retreat! Evacuate!” I shouted as I ran into the villa. “Swim. A. Way!”

The humans watched me in confusion. This was a really great call to retreat. Why was nobody obeying it?

The Doctor ran in. “Caecilius? All of you, get out.”

Donna walked out, Evelina just behind her. “Terra, Doctor, what is it?”

“We got a MERMAID TAIL!”

The Doctor stepped in to translate. “I think we’re being followed.”

On cue, the hypocaust exhaust  _ flared _ . The metal grill flipped off, clattering to the ground.

“SWIM AWAY!” I yelled again. “Why is nobody swimming?! The world is on  _ fire _ !”

“Just get out!” The Doctor shouted.

The humans just stood there, watching it all. The Pyrovile climbed out. His rock body was lit by hot orange magma. The magma eyes were narrowed- could a thing be narrowed if it didn’t have pupils?- on the Doctor and I. That didn’t feel nice.

“The gods are with us.” Evelina gasped in shock and awe, no doubt ready to worship.

I was fed up with people ignoring my command to swim away. Reaching into my Bag, I pulled out the only gun approved by the Doctor. They said it best:

_ It’s Nerf or NOTHING _

I dipped it into the small pond, sucking in water. Funny story...this was actually the gun Martha and I made. The fake Time Lord killer. Just a water gun we painted black...well she painted it black, I added bedazzles and glitter glue. And maybe a bit of acid- just to test it out! You all would do that same, don’t judge me!

Like Martha did...

“Oh! Terra, bloody genius! Water! We need water.” The Doctor turned to our accomplice. “Quintus. Help her. Get water. Donna!”

A servant walked up, bowing before the Pyrovile. “Blessed are we to see the gods.” The god thanked him by burning him alive, to nothing but ash in a single second.

The Doctor stepped ahead, over the pile of ash. “Talk to me. That’s all I want. Talk to me. Just tell me you are. Don’t hurt these people.” The Doctor asked.

The water gun was filled up. I looked up, watching Donna be abducted. That was a problem for a few minutes from now. The first problem was, and really always should, be the fire.

“Talk to me. I’m the Doctor. Just tell me who you are.” The Doctor asked. He was always good at stalling.

I ran up to his side, firing a steady stream of water at the Pyrovile. When my gun ran out of ammo, Quintus came up with a bucket. That finished the job enough. The Pyrovile screamed as it fell apart.

“I did it!” I cheered. Raising my hand, I waited for a high five. The Doctor stepped forward to get a better look at the rocky corpse.

“What was it?” Caecilius asked from behind us.

“A Mountain God.” I answered. “Straight from Vesuvius.”

“Close. Rather a carapace of stone, held together by internal magma.” The Doctor corrected. “Not too difficult to stop, but I reckon that’s just the foot soldier.”

Wow.

So nobody was gonna thank me. 

That’s  _ fine _ .

I’m not  _ upset _ .

“Doctor, Terra, or whatever your names are, you bring bad luck on this house.” Metella stated. She was shaking with fear. In her mind, we’d just killed a god with water. Not exactly a thing that endeared people to you.

“Your son saved us for sure. Give him a thanks?” I suggested.

Metella and Caecilius reached out for their son. Quintus actually smiled at their praise. Ah, being ignored by your parents for your more talented sibling.

_ I got you, Quintus, I got you. _

“Still, if there are aliens at work in Pompeii, it’s a good thing we stayed.” The Doctor reasoned.

“Hey Doc Brown?”

“Yeah Terra?”

“She’s been quiet for too long again.”

The Doctor scrunched up in confusion. “What-Donna?” He looked back. It was so fun to watch understanding come to him. “Donna!”

He’s slow but he gets there in the end.

_ We all do... _

==MGCB==

After I refilled my water gun, we asked where Donna went. Evelina pointed us towards the Sibylline Sisterhood. That got us out of their villa so I don’t blame her for going along with it. Sneaking in was easy too- I guess Soothsayers don’t worry too much about security when they can just foretell who and when is coming.

So really I expected a better welcoming committee than a bunch of Soothsayers- one of which still with Amy Pond’s face- trying to kill Donna Noble. They had her tied spread eagle on a stone slab, the ropes tight and unyielding.

That was quite rude and not ginger of them.

Donna wasn’t taking it while either. Donna “Listen, sister, you might have eyes on the back of your hands, but you’ll have eyes in the back of your  _ head _ by the time I’ve finished with you. Let me go!”

The second highest Soothsayer raised up a blade. “This prattling voice will cease forever.” Spurrina gripped it, preparing to bring it down on Donna’s heart.

“Oh, that’ll be the day.”

The Soothsayers whirled to face us. I whacked the Doctor’s arm. He whined. “Doc Brown! Be nice. I still love you, Donna!”

Donna huffed, relaxing in the bindings.

“No man is allowed to enter the Temple of Sibyl.” Spurrina yelled our direction.

“Well, that’s all right. Just us girls.” The Doctor and I walked closer to the Soothsayers.

They reeled back in shock. A man in their presence, how dare! I walked around them to reach Donna. They parted for me like the Red Sea.

“Do you know, I met the Sibyl once.” The Doctor rambled. “Yeah, hell of a woman. Blimey, she could dance the Tarantella. Nice teeth.” The Doctor walked to my side.

I was standing by Donna’s head, aiming my sonic at the ropes. “He didn’t notice you’d left. I had to tell him.”

Donna scoffed. “Oh that sounds right.”

“I’m loving the toga. Purple suits you!” I told her.

“Does it?”

“Truth be told, I think she had a bit of a thing for me.” The Doctor was still rambling on about nothing. “I said it would never last. She said,  _ I know _ . Well, she would.”

“Donna, I cannot tell a lie right now.” I cheered. The ropes on her wrist popped off. “Purple looks good on you. It’s a very  _ noble _ color.”

“You can’t lie? What’s that about?” Donna asked.

“I like the toga.” The Doctor added in, brightly. 

I snapped off the last of the rope. Donna sat up, rubbing her wrists. “No don’t do that- I have rope burn cream and bandages in here.” Inside my Bag, there was an ointment. Darcy got into a lot of bad situations over the years. Last Year gave me a great chance to restock my supplies. “Here ya go!” 

“Thanks.” Donna started rubbing the cream onto his wrists. “Oh that’s really good.”

Spurrina watched us Time Lords, eyes wife. “What magic is this?!”

“It’s a topical ointment that will prevent bruising-” I supplied.

“Let me tell you about the Sibyl, the founder of this religion.” The Doctor explained. Right. Not every question was directed at me. Gotta remember that, that’s not cool. “She would be ashamed of you. All her wisdom and insight turned sour. Is  _ that _ how you spread the word,  _ hey _ ? On the blade of a  _ knife _ ?”

“A pretty knife! Could I have that, actually?” Darcy was getting a whole ass gift basket at this rate. What could I put in her gift basket? A cool ceremonial knife for sure… sex coins… dildos… poisons? A new shirt would be good. Oh and hydrogen peroxide!

“Yes actually.” Spurrina answered. “But it will welcome your friend first!”

“Nope!” I hopped towards her, quickly disarming her.

_ Come on _

_ I grew up by Darcy Anderson _

_ You think you can just  _ stab _ me? _

_ Don’t try to trick me! You know who I am. It doesn’t work! _

“Show me this man.” A raspy, crackling voice ordered. The voice of somebody who smoked a pack a day for twenty years, then chewed on gravel just to be sure they lost it.

The Soothsayers turned towards a curtained area of the temple. They knelt down in respect to her. Spurrina was the only one still standing.

“High Priestess, the stranger would defile us.” Spurrina argued.

“Let me  _ see _ .” The High Priestess ordered. “This one is different. He carries stardust in his wake.”

The Doctor cheerfully stepped up. I smiled at Spurrina while tucking away the knife. She wouldn’t be needing it, would she? “Oh, very perceptive. Where do these words of wisdom come from?” The Doctor asked.

“The gods whisper to me.” The High Priestess answered.

“Their gifts are two fold aren’t they?” I walked closer to the curtain. “Might I see your gifts, High Priestess? May I gaze upon  _ rockin’ divinity _ ?”

The High Priestess must have sent a psychic message to the guards. They pulled aside the curtains, revealing their High Priestess. Her whole body was stone. She looked very much like a Pyrovile. Her eyes were stone, rather than the bright magma from earlier.

She wasn’t hot.

She was  _ stone cold _ !

...hahaha

“Oh, my God. What’s happened to you?” Donna asked.

Right yeah. Priorities!

“The heavens have  _ blessed _ me.” The High Priestess explained.

The Doctor came up. “If I might?”

The High Priestess held up her hand. The Doctor lightly touched her arm. The Priestess gave no reaction.

“Does it hurt?” The Doctor asked.

“It is necessary.” The High Priestess dismissed.

“Necessary for who? You, or to the ‘gods’ that whisper to you?” I asked. The Master told me shit like that for  _ weeks _ . That my pain was  _ necessary _ . That the suffering I went through was important, needed for the glory of the new Time Lords.

_ What sucks was for awhile I believed him _

_ I think I still do _

_ But...but that’s not...I didn’t need to be hurt. Not for a crazy Time Lord, or a ‘mad god’ _

The High Priestess gave an answer I would’ve given a year ago. “The voices.”

“Amor fati.” I nodded. “ _ I love my fate, and think all that happens in it necessary.” _

The High Priestess nodded in agreement. “That is... _ not _ Celtic.”

“Finally!” I threw my head back, praising the Author for this one kind deed.

_ This is more frustrating than Donna calling us Martian _

“Is that what’s going to happen to Evelina?” Donna asked. She looked towards the other Soothsayers. “Is this what’s going to happen to all of you?”

Spurrina pulled back her robe sleeve. She shoved off her stone upper arm. “The blessings are manifold.”

One by one, the Soothsayers revealed their matching stone bodies. Looking back I saw Amy Pond’s actress got two of them. That’s...well it’s not great...but it looks super awesome.

Donna went to us, horrified. “They’re  _ stone.” _

“Exactly. The people of Pompeii are turning to stone before the volcano erupts.” The Doctor explained. “But  _ why? _ ”

“It was necessary, as the gods said.” I answered. Then I winced, hating this whole fucking thing. Was I really that desperate for attention and recognition that I answered _ every single question? _

_ When did I turn into Hermione Granger? _

_ Not that that’s a bad thing, she punched people in the face at age 14, she’s a queen _

_ But like...I don’t deserve to be like her. _

The Doctor turned to me.  _ ‘You don’t like answering questions?’ _

_ ‘No.’ _

_ ‘Okay. Got it. I’ll be more careful. We still have got to know what this has to do with the volcano.’ _

“This word, this image in your mind.” The High Priestess wondered. “This ‘ _ volcano’.  _ What is that?”

“More to the point, why don’t you know about it?” The Doctor stepped closer to the young Pyrovile. “Who are you?”

“High Priestess of the Sibylline.” 

“No, no, no, no. I’m talking to the creature  _ inside  _ you.” The Doctor corrected. “The _ thing  _ that’s seeding itself into a  _ human body _ , in the dust, in the lungs, taking over the flesh and turning it into, what?”

The High Priestess nervously shifted on her elegant bedspread. “Your knowledge is impossible.”

“Oh, but you can read my mind. You know it’s not.” The Doctor stood straighter, more commandingly. “I demand you tell me who you are.”

The body reeled back, shuddering and shaking. She spoke, not just with her voice. Something spoke over her. The second voice was deep and foreboding, coming out like an echo from hell.  _ “We are awakening!” _

“The voice of the gods.” Spurrina decreed. She knelt with her Sisters, rocking on their thighs. 

“Words of wisdom, words of power. Words of wisdom, words of power. Words of wisdom-”

“Name yourself.” The Doctor ordered. “Planet of origin. Galactic coordinates. Species designation according to the universal ratification of the Shadow Proclamation.”

“We are  _ rising _ !” The High Priestess yelled.

I stepped forward. “WHO ARE YOU!”

The alien inside  _ shrieked. _ “PYROVILE!” They called out the answer, yelling like I was throwing water at them.

“Pyrovile. Pyrovile. Pyrovile.” The Soothsayers chanted.

“What’s a Pyrovile?” Donna asked us.

The Doctor answered before I could. “Well,  _ that’s _ a Pyrovile, growing inside her. She’s a halfway stage.”

“-the full stage was what attacked us in the villa.” I supplied. “A fully grown adult mountain god.”

“And the  _ breath _ of a Pyrovile will  _ incinerate you, _ Doctor and Terra.” The Pyrovile warned.

I raised my water gun. The Doctor did much the same, his tiny and yellow while mine was big with gemstones all over it. 

“I warn you, we’re armed.” The Doctor ordered. “Terra, Donna, get that grill open.”

“What for?” Donna asked.

“I’m a faster shot. You go.” I instructed.

“Just.” The Doctor huffed. “What are the Pyrovile doing here?”

“We  _ fell _ from the  _ heavens _ .” The Pyrovile was still speaking through the Priestess. Donna walked off to do the grill as ordered. “We fell so far and so fast, we were rendered into  _ dust _ .”

“Right, creatures of stone shattered on impact.” The Doctor reasoned. “When was that, seventeen years ago?”

_ I should really go help Donna _

_ But also:  _ gun

“We have  _ slept _ beneath for  _ thousands _ of years.” The Pyrovile hissed.

“Okay, so seventeen years ago woke you up, and now you’re using human bodies to reconstitute yourselves. But why the psychic powers?” The Doctor asked.

“We opened their minds and found  _ such gifts.” _

Looking back, I saw Donna struggling with the grill. I couldn’t leave the Doctor alone. Not with fire psychics around here.

_ Besides I could easily swap this out for the real thing _

_ I’m fine with everyone here dying _

_ (Sorry Amy Pond’s face. I’ll make sure Amy has a nice life when I meet her) _

“Okay, that’s fine.” The Doctor replied. “So you force yourself inside a human brain, use the latent psychic talent to bond. I get that, I get that, yeah. But seeing the future? That is way beyond psychic. You can see through  _ time _ . Where does the gift of prophecy come from?”

There was a metal  _ clang _ . 

“Got it.” Donna told us.

“Hop down!” I called back.

“What, down there?” Donna asked, disgusted.

“Yes, down there.” The Doctor replied. “Why can’t this lot predict a volcano? Why is it being hidden?”

The High Priestess possessed by a Pyrovile  _ snarled  _ at us.

“Sisters, I see into their minds. The weapons are harmless.” Spurrina revealed.

“Whoopsi!” I shrugged, keeping my water gun aimed towards the High Priestess.

“Yeah, but it’s got to sting.” The Doctor fired.

I did as well. The High Priestess shrieked in pain. The Doctor started running.

“Sorry!” I called as I ran after him.

“Get down there!” The Doctor yelled at Donna. 

She hopped down. I jumped down, barely avoiding her on the ground. The tunnel was heated, steam and smoke coming off from various hot pockets. The Doctor joined us. 

“You fought her off with a water pistol.” Donna laughed. “I bloody love you.”

“Thanks!”

The Doctor nodded up the rocky path. “This way.”

“Where are we going now?” Donna asked.

I pointed my thumb that way. “Inside Vesuvius!”

Donna’s eyes widened. “No way.”

“Yes, way.” The Doctor replied. “ _ Appian _ way.”

I giggled. Donna did too.

==MGCB==

The wall to Vesuvius was long and  _ hot _ . Annoyingly hot. So hot that a part of me regretted making my hair this  _ long.  _ The air conditioning nanobots were at work in my clothes, keeping me cool enough that I actually felt  _ normal _ .

Every step  _ hurt _ . Thinking about where we were going...about what would happen the next time we left...how this day would  _ end. _ It pained something deep inside.

It was different from killing during the Year. These deaths weren’t being reset in a while. These were fixed. Set. If I killed them, they were  _ gone _ . They were going to die because of me-

No.

Not me- the Pyroviles did this.

Well the Daleks started it.

_ Yeah let’s blame the Daleks for everything. _

The Doctor and Donna weren’t having this ethical debate. They were  _ going  _ to have this debate. They just didn’t know I already decided on a fate.

“But if it’s aliens setting off the volcano, doesn’t that make it alright for you lot to stop it?” Donna asked.

“Still part of history.” The Doctor insisted.

“But  _ I’m _ history to you.” Donna argued. “You saved me in 2008. You saved us all. Why is  _ that _ different?”

“Some things are  _ fixed _ , some things are in  _ flux _ . Pompeii is  _ fixed _ .” The Doctor argued. 

Donna “How do you know which is which?” Donna asked. 

“Because  _ that’s _ how we see the universe.” The Doctor stopped in his mad pacing. I stopped beside him, facing off towards our destination. 

_ Screams _

_ My hand- burning _

_ The Master was so angry, trapped in his fob watch. _

_ The universe always gets her due _

“Every waking second, I can see what is, what was, what could be, what must not.  _ That’s _ the burden of a Time Lord, Donna. And we’re the only ones left.”

“It hurts.” I admitted. My arms wrapped around me. Suddenly, in all the heat of the tunnel under an August sun, there was no warmth. “To see...to know...it’s a thousand  _ ‘what if’s  _ all bouncing about in my head...I can feel which ones can change...which ones  _ must not _ ...and- and it-”

_ Gunshots _

_ Two of them almost in sync _

_ Him just that little bit faster _

_ That was all it took _

“-it  _ hurts. _ ”

I couldn’t look at them. A wave of  _ grief  _ came over me. A whole three years of pain hit me at once. Or maybe, a better analogy was that it had been crashing into me for three years and I felt it all anew in a split second. Three years of pain repeating in a blink. 

Falling into the Void. The emptiness, the  _ voices _ , the feelings that never quite got shaken off in regeneration...stuck to my mind like lint in pocket. 

All the failures in my years here...how many was it? Quick bit of math here...183-179... _ 4 fucking years of this _

It hurts so badly. Knowing what I could’ve stopped, who I could’ve saved. Knowing that I could only stop  _ four  _ dying today. Because if I tried to save more...if I let myself  _ believe  _ I could stop more...that only brought me  _ pain _ .

_ Close Pandora’s box right back up. _

_ I don’t need that right now.  _

“How many people died?” Donna asked.

I opened my mouth. The Doctor yelled louder. He scolded Donna for daring to ask anything. “Stop it. Terra is caught up in this. She can’t lie to you.  _ Don’t make her answer _ .”

That made Donna pause. She was a rare breed of companion that didn’t want to hurt me. “Then you tell me,  _ Doctor _ , how many people died?”

“Twenty-”

“20,612.” I answered, gasping when I finished.

_ Oh Author _

_ Oh Author please no _

_ Please  _ please  _ don’t let me be right- _

_ “10% of the population!” _

_ “2.47 billion. And I killed all of them. In a single second.” _

_ All of Japan in flames... _

_ The paper factory used to smell like fart...it all smells like ash now... _

The breath I let out came with shivers.

I wasn’t crying.

Fuck you. That’s just sweat.

“Is that what you can see, Time Lords? All twenty thousand?” Donna asked us.  _ Fuck  _ she was good at that...making me wonder about what was right, about what actually was the better choice. Ugh I loved and hated her for it. “And you think that’s all right, do you?”

_ No. I think it’s awful. _

_ But it’s all of them, or you. _

_ I will always choose our companions _

_...I’m so  _ tired

Ahead there was a roar. A great roar like the monsters trapped in the Underworld were being unleashed.

“They know we’re here.” The Doctor reached for my hand. Fearful, wanting contact, wanting something to connect to, I took his hand. “Come on.”

==MGCB==

The center of Vesuvius was on fire. There was fire shooting up from various spots in the rocky ground. Rivers of magma flowed from deeper beneath. The Pyrovile walked the grounds with ease, never once fearing the magma.

“It’s the heart of Vesuvius. We’re right inside the mountain.” The Doctor told us.

We stayed low and hidden behind various rocks. The Pyroviles were all around, walking about as their plans for the day neared completion. I spotted the remains of their ship in the distance, the silver components of a spaceship standing out amongst all the red and smoke.

“They’re getting excited.” I noted. “Their plans are near manifest. I would be excited too.”

“There’s tons of them.” Donna confirmed, panting as the heat made the air so dry.

“What’s that thing?” The Doctor pulled out a telescope. “And no Terra, you don’t need to answer that.”

“Whichever one of you looks at it, better hurry up and think of something.” Donna asked. “Rocky Four’s on its way.”

That confused me. A film from the 80’s was on it’s way? How was that possible, I hadn’t done anything to make that happen.

“That’s how they arrived.” The Doctor told us, lowering his telescope. “Or what’s left of it. Escape pod? Prison ship? Gene bank?”

“Escape pod.  _ Damn it! _ ” I slumped back against a rock formation.

_ Only two aliens would be escaping from there today _

_ Well I mean three, humans are alien to Pyrovile _

_ Whoops _

_ Only _ three _ aliens would be escaping from there today _

_ (Perfect recovery!) _

“But why do they need a volcano? Maybe it erupts, and they launch themselves back into space or something?” Donna asked.

“It’s worse.” I answered. “ _ Stop asking things!” _

Donna reeled back at the anger in my voice. “Why? What’s wrong with you?”

“I am standing around Pompeii which enhances psychics abilities and I have those and I can only tell the truth  _ and I feel compelled to answer every single question asked in my presence!” _ I snapped. “So I would appreciate it if you  _ held back _ on the  _ question things!” _

Donna gasped. “Are you turning to stone too?”

_ “Gah! That’s a question!”  _ I reached for my sleeve, pulling it back. The Doctor put his hand over mine. “Doc-”

“She’s not stone.” The Doctor answered. “She’s a Time Lord. The Pyrovile could work for a hundred years and not get even a patch.”

“Oh. That’s nice.” I slumped against the rock in relief. “I don’t wanna be a rock.”

The ground began shaking. 

“Doctor, Terra, it’s getting closer.” Donna reminded us. She was clearly terrified, clearly scared for her future, still she remained with us as brave.

“Heathens!” Across the rocks, Lucius stood among the rocks. His robe was peeled back to reveal the broken stone arm. His idea of honoring the gods, no doubt. Revealing the pain and suffering he underwent on their behalf. Meanwhile the High Priestess hid away behind curtains and the like. Was this truly honorable, or was it more because he was in their presence so it was fine? “Defilers! They would desecrate your temple, my lord gods.”

The Doctor held my hand. “Come on.”

“We can’t go in.” Donna argued.

“Well, we can’t go back.” The Doctor argued back.

“Crush them. Burn them.” Lucius shouted at his gods.

_ Fuck your gods _

_ They’re just fire _

_ I can kill fire _

Right on cue a Pyrovile blocked our path. Quickly I raised my water gun and started  _ blasting _ . The Pyrovile screamed, cowering away from me. 

_ Excellent _

The three of us ran towards the escape pod.

“There is nowhere to run, Doctor, child of nothing, and daughter of London.” Lucius warned.

“Is he saying we’ve hit rock bottom? Cause I’ve got a shovel and I’m ready to dig!” I asked.

“Now then, Lucius. My lords Pyrovillian, don’t get yourselves in a lather.” The Doctor joked. I giggled for his sake. The Doctor smiled at me. Donna glared at us, unamused. “In a lava? No?”

“I thought it was good.” I complimented.

“Thank you, Terra. So was your’s.” The Doctor praised, warmly smiling at me.

“I made a joke?”

The Doctor’s eyes widened. He turned his head towards the Pyroviles in front of us. “But if I might beg the wisdom of the gods before we perish. Once this new race of creatures is complete, then what?”

“My masters will follow the example of Rome itself.” Lucius decreed. Or perhaps threatened, cause this felt like a threat. “An almighty empire, bestriding the whole of civilization.”

“But if you’ve crashed, and you’ve got all this technology, why don’t you just go home?” Donna asked them.

“The Heaven of Pyrovillia is gone.” Lucius answered before I could.

“What do you mean, gone? Where’s it gone?” The Doctor asked.

_ The Daleks took it _

_ Davros took it _

_ But she’ll return then _

_ All of them will _

_ Every last one of them, for one moment, will be together _

_ That’s a long ways away...so much more will happen in the meanwhile... _

“It was taken. Pyrovillia is lost.” Lucius spoke for the Pyrovile. “But there is heat enough in this world for a new species to rise!”

“Yeah, I should warn you, it’s seventy percent water out there.” The Doctor warned.

“Water can _ boil _ . And everything will  _ burn, _ Doctor!” Lucius shouted.

“Then the whole planet is at stake.” The Doctor realized. “Thank you. That’s all I needed to know. Terra. Donna.”

I was running before he even finished the sentence. The escape pod was waiting for her occupants. Once I was inside I stared at the marble slabs and the life ending lever below.

The Doctor and Donna came in behind me. I used my sonic to close the door behind them. The Doctor came to my side, looking at the same lever that would kill twenty thousand people.

_ 20,612 _

“Could we  _ be _ any more trapped?” Donna asked,

“Yes. This could be a stationary room.” I answered, then smacked my own face. “Stop doing that, me!” Scolding myself always came easier than praise.

The escape pod began heating up. I cared very little about the events going on outside.

_ I had to _

_ I couldn’t let myself feel that grief again _

_ It’s not allowed _

“Little bit hot.” Donna noted.

“Do you see?” The Doctor asked.

“I do.” I replied.

_ I see what must be done _

_ The Time Lord might not like it...but I see it _

“See what?” Donna asked.

“Look.” The Doctor pointed at the marble slabs. “The energy converter takes the lava, uses the power to create a fusion matrix, which welds Pyrovile to human. Now it’s complete, they can convert  _ millions _ .”

“But can’t you change it with these controls?” Donna asked.

“Of course I can, but don’t you see?” The Doctor waved his arm at the lever and marble. “ _ That’s _ why the soothsayers can’t see the volcano. There  _ is _ no volcano. Vesuvius is never going to erupt. The Pyrovile are stealing all its power. They’re going to use it to take over the world.”

“But you can change it back?” Donna asked.

“Physically? We won’t break a sweat.” I answered. “It’ll take a toll emotionally.”

“How come?” Donna asked.

“Because we’d be sending all the power right back to Vesuvius.” I explained. “All that power, that force, to the heart of a  _ volcano _ . To  _ Vesuvius _ on  _ volcano day _ .”

Donna’s eyes widened. Her heart breaking right before my eyes. 

“That’s the choice: Pompeii or  _ everyone else _ .”

_ Including you. _

_ We saved you in 2008 _

_ And if we chose Pompeii, it’ll have been for nothing _

_ You’ll die _

_ Martha will die _

_ All our friends will die. Worse they’ll have never been born. Or maybe, turned into them. _

“Oh, my God.” Donna looked at the lever with a new horror. 

“If Pompeii is destroyed then it’s not just history, it’s me.” The Doctor explained. He spoke through clenched teeth. His brown eyes and tense shoulders and the grip he had on the lever showed all the signs of a flashback. “ _ I _ make it happen.”

“Doctor, Terra, the Pyrovile are made of rocks. Maybe they can’t  _ be _ blown up.” Donna suggested.

The Doctor reached over, twisting various bits and bobs. He was priming Vesuvius for the explosion. “Vesuvius explodes with the force of twenty four nuclear bombs. Nothing can survive it. Certainly not us.”

Donna “ _ Never mind _ us.” Donna dismissed.

The fire was getting worse outside. More and more Pyrovile trying to kill us. 

“Push this lever and it’s over.” The Doctor put his hand down over it. “Twenty thousand people.”

_ “Legend shall become history.” _ I repeated the prophecy I gave to Lucius. Just yesterday, when prophecy and knowledge were being tossed all around. “ _ Three of the same shall cause the deaths of your empire, and the destruction of nature.” _

I put my hand over his. When I looked up at him, that wave of grief came over me again. The Doctor was  _ heartbroken  _ over this decision. This was probably so close to how he killed his people.

_ Was it a lever, Doctor? _

_ I can never see it being anything but a big red button _

_ ‘You don’t have to push it. I could do it for you.’  _ I offered.

The Doctor was still looking back into my eyes. His jaw trembled with restrained tears. 

_ ‘I can push it.’ _

_ ‘I don’t want this on your conscience.’  _ The Doctor pleaded with me.

_ ‘I don’t want it on yours either.’ _ I told him. My fingers wrapped around his, squeezing them in assurance and comfort.  _ ‘I’m here for you. Let me help you.’ _

This only seemed to hurt him more.

Another hand came on top of ours. We looked over to see Donna watching us. Her cheeks were wet. Just in the contact of her hand on mine, her grief was added to my own. All three of us were sharing our grief, mixing and mingling until it was hard for me to place who started what. 

_ We were the same here _

_ A human, a Time Lord, and a reality jumper _

_ We all were the same _

As one, we pushed the lever down.

Pompeii burned.

==MGCB==

The sky was gray. The escape pod sent us off miles away from Vesuvius, we could still see the damage it was bringing.

This was my third time seeing ash instead of snow.

The Doctor, Donna, and I ran in the burning streets of Pompeii. The psychic connection was broken- snipped inside of me like a frayed ribbon. Still I heard the screams of everyone in this city. Just like I heard them screaming in Japan.

Their deaths hurt just the same.

Children screamed for their parents the same. Only sometimes were they answered. As we ran, I saw so many fallen already. Crushed beneath collapsed walls, trampled beneath the panicked crowd.

The TARDIS was calling out to me. Her singing in my mind came louder than the surrounding screams. I focused on that- on her- on reaching her.

Donna was screaming at them all, begging them not to run to the beaches. It wouldn’t do anything. People were still running out to it. She tried helping children find their mothers and fathers.

There were just  _ so many... _

_ 20,612 _

“Come on.” The Doctor told me.

I obeyed.

_ It hurt just the same as Japan _

_ The ash on my head was familiar now... _

On Foss Street, the villa was half collapsed already. The family of four were curled together, protectively over Evelina. 

_ Five minutes _

_ Just give me five minutes _

“Gods save us, Doctor.” Caecilius cried out.

Quintus looked up at that cry. He looked right at me. Evelina stared right at me. 

_ I told Quintus that his sister would die under Vulcan’s wrath if he’d didn’t help me _

_ This is how I repay them _

_ It wasn’t Vulcan’s wrath. It was my selfishness. My refusal to lose any of my friends. _

_ (I also said I’d do it at whatever cost to me) _

The Doctor walked off into the TARDIS, leaving Donna and I behind him.

_ Time to pay. _

“No! Doctor, you can’t. Doctor!” Donna pleaded.

I walked to the TARDIS. 

==MGCB==

The TARDIS was cold. The air clean, smooth,  _ clear _ . Like stepping into a store while it was raining. Everything about it made me feel  _ safe _ , that everything was  _ fine  _ now

The Doctor flipped the handbrake. No doubt warning Donna to get inside.

I walked closer, taking place by his side.

The Doctor flipped the handbrake up. The noise stopped. “We can’t save them.”

“That would mean going back over our own time stream.” I agreed. “That doesn’t stop us from doing anything  _ now _ .”

“Don’t you think we’ve done enough?” The Doctor asked. He wouldn’t meet my face. He focused instead on the console. “Legend became history, and everyone  _ dies _ .”

I sucked in my lip, biting down on it. “I know this must hurt, reminding you of- of our planet.”

“Yes. It is. It is  _ exactly  _ like that.” The Doctor finally raised his head to look at me. “Because I want to go back and save them. If I could, I would. But I can’t. I can  _ never  _ go back.” He choked on a wet sob. “I just  _ can’t, _ Terra, I  _ can’t. _ ”

“Sometimes...in the Year...I had to walk away from the worst places...so many people hurt and I couldn’t help them.” I admitted. The Doctor looked up at me. Talking about the Year just...wasn’t on. I hoped doing it now would help him. “But I made time. I helped  _ someone _ . Because...because if I could save  _ just one _ ...even for a  _ little bit _ ...that’s better than doing nothing.”

The Doctor sucked in a breath. He clenched his teeth, gripping the handbrake again. “It’s not fair.”

I took his side, holding the free space on the handbrake. “I know.”

For a moment I shared my feelings in our minds. I let him feel what I felt. The sharp brutal pain of living in at all before, in a different land. Feel my grief at the only choice available to us. My rage at the Pyrovile, for manipulating and using the people until this was the only wag to save everyone. My confusion about why it had to be  _ them _ , to  _ these _ people. The Doctor could feel my  _ pain _ \- shared by all the Soothsayers and psychics and mediums who I could feel naturally, all of them betrayed by their gods.

Pandora’s box opened. 

I held it open that little bit longer...letting the Doctor feel my hope too.

_ Just that little bit- _

_ A tiny spark, beneath the gray snow _

_ A future not yet lived. _

_ A small family that could make it out of here...right outside the doors _

The doors swung open. Donna stormed in, her purple toga blowing. “You can’t just leave them!”

The Doctor lifted his hand. “Quite right.”

“You’ve got to go back-”

“Donna.” The Doctor interrupted. “I said you were right.” He looked at me, smiling in thanks. “You both are.” He pushed down the handbrake.

I smiled. Happily I skipped around the console.

Donna was still confused. “But- that noise only happens when you’re leaving.”

“Not every time.” The Doctor flipped another switch. The TARDIS shined brightly from the inside. This was definitely bright enough to be seen through the thickest cloud of ash.

The Doctor and I opened the doors. The TARDIS moved to be in front of Caecilius and his family.

The Doctor and I held out our hands.

“Come with us.”

==MGCB==

We brought them to a clearing, a safe distance from Pompeii. You could still see the gray cloud, see the ash falling down. I could hear the screams- no doubt the Doctor did as well.

The Romans watched, horrified. Caecilius held his wife’s hand. Quintus and Evelina stood apart as they tried to understand the depth of the tragedy.

“It’s never forgotten, Caecilius.” The Doctor promised him. “Oh, time will pass, men’ll move on, and stories will fade. But one day, Pompeii will be found again. In thousands of years. And everyone will remember you.”

Caecilius held his wife tighter. Metells held him right back, hiding her teary face in his robe.

“What about you, Evelina? Can you see anything?” Donna wondered.

Evelina closed her eyes to focus. “The visions have gone.”

“Imagine an event so powerful it rippled back on itself.” I explained. “Vesuvius cracked open the very fabric of time. Not for long, barely a second. It was enough for you and all your sisters the gift of prophecy. That echo made a whole Pyrovillian alternative! But not anymore. You are  _ free _ .” I promised.

Evelina smiled, relieved and thankful. Quintus stepped up to her side to hold her hand.

_ Siblings giving each other comfort. _

_ I’m all for that kind of solidarity _

_ I’m glad for you, Quintus and Evelina. _

“But tell me.” Metella spoke up. “Who are you, Doctor and Terra? With your words, and your temple containing such  _ size _ within?”

“Oh, we were never here. Don’t tell anyone.” The Doctor requested.

Caecilius stepped closer to his smoldering city. His words wrenched my hearts. “The great god Vulcan must be  _ enraged _ . It’s like some sort of...volcano. All those people.”

I hugged the Doctor’s arm. He hugged back. Slowly, we made our way back inside the TARDIS.

The door closed. Their fate was in their own hands now. We’d done all we could.

“Thank you.” Donna spoke up.

I hugged her. Donna hugged me back.

_ She gives good hugs _

_ Even if I don’t like hugs in general, I can give one to Donna _

“Yeah. You were right. Sometimes I need someone.” The Doctor admitted.

I pulled away from Donna, throwing my arms up. “Welcome aboard!”

Donna laughed. A proud smile came on her face.  _ That _ was the Most Important Woman in the Universe. “Yeah.”

==MGCB==

_ Six months later _

Caecilius was panicking. He’d lost it! He hadn’t meant to lose it. He distinctly remembered where he put it. Maybe Metella would know what happened to it... _ may the Gods help him _

“Metella, my love, have you seen that clasp?” Caecilius called out. “The beetle one. The Egyptians do love a scarab.”

His wife approached him. Her lips were curled in delight as she held up the clasp. “Here we are. I was giving it a polish. Now calm down.”

Caecilius accepted it. He attached the shining clasp to his robes. “If I get that contract for the marble granaries of Alexandria, we’ll be rich. You’ll see.”

Metella hummed.

Caecilius caught sight of his daughter, trying to walk behind him. She wore a bright pink dress, shorter than her knees and with no sleeves. 

People could see  _ everything _ !

_ By the gods! _

“Hold on there, Evelina.” Caecilius scolded. Evelina rolled her eyes to the sky. “You are not going out wearing that.”

“Don’t  _ start _ , Dad.” Evelina replied. “It’s what  _ all the girls  _ in Rome are wearing.”

Caecilius mentally stuttered. He didn’t want to limit her interactions. She had been closed off from people her age all her life, since her visions first started. If she was making friends...gods if he held her back  _ again _ -

Terra said Evelina was  _ free _ . 

“See you later.” Evelina kissed his cheek, rushing out from their villa again.

Something clicked in his head. “Are you seeing that boy again?”

Quintus walked in as Evelina ran out. He was standing proud, official papyrus scrolls in his hands.

“Oh, look at Quintus. My son, the doctor.” Metella beamed with pride. 

Quintus rolled his eyes, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. “ _ Mum _ , I’ve told you. I’m  _ not _ a doctor. Not yet. I’m  _ just _ a student of the physical sciences.”

“Well, that’s a doctor to me. Give thanks to the household gods before you go, there’s a good boy.” Metella instructed. She turned to her husband, frowning. “Come here, let me fix it. You’ve got that folded all wrong.”

Quintus walked to their household shrine. Three figures were there, along with their temple. Quintus dipped his fingers in the ceremonial jar. He sprinkled his fingers at the plaque. “Thank you, household gods. Thank you for  _ everything. _ ” 

Their marble Terra, Doctor, and Donna smiled down at him. Quintus could feel stronger after giving his thanks.

At the same time...thousands of years away...their gods never felt weaker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Yes I checked. The sex coins are real, their Greek name is ‘spintriae’. They are so funny.  
> In my mind, Terra got connected to their thing when she sniffed the coin at the beginning. The sonic not scanning is it bullshit, maybe it would, but for right now I’m saying it won’t.  
> I hope you guys like it. This was a challenge, keeping Terra honest for her answers and just general conversation. That seemed like a fun concept I could expand on, Lucius saying they could speak truth. I’ve already hinted that Terra is a bit gifted in those abilities so I thought ‘why not have fun with it’? Even if you dislike it, I hope it was a fun read.  
> There. Onto better things...HAPPY NEW YEAR! Time for 2020 to fuck off.   
> The chapter is late because I had finals, Christmas plans, and other personal stuff. This is 4 weeks late and I’m only a little bit sorry. Because today is Special Day and I am completely fine.  
> Wanna know who else is completely fine? Captain Jack motherfucking Harkness  
> It’s just so good. As I’m writing this there are three hours left before showtime and I am so excited. I don’t even care (much) that the Discount Hospital Horse is gonna be in it. We get Captain Jack!  
> A reminder that a review is always welcomed! Or checking out my tumblr at AuthorA97 writing updates. I wanna hear from you guys!


	5. I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is an audio story recommended by a friend. Honestly, it’s here because Donna sees somebody and her description brings me joy.  
> Hopefully it doesn’t come across as just the transcript of it. Here’s Death’s Deal!

Pompeii was still heavy in their minds when the mauve alerts started going off. Terra wasn’t as surprised as one would suspect. She’d been in the TARDIS during Rose Tyler and Martha Jones’ runs. There were other adventures not on screen. Terra was used to that, by now. The whole Year was a...well...a whole year of that. A mauve alert was nothing to fret over.

After some debate between the Doctor and Donna, they arrived on Death’s Deal. A very pretty planet by all appearances. The hundreds of hundreds of distress calls painted a bloodzone, ravaged by blown metal and still burning fires. The terrain in contrast was a wonderland. Imagine, if you don’t mind,  _ Finding Nemo _ if it was written by H.P. Lovecraft and also not underwater. A still beautiful landscape to look at without revealing the horrors beneath.

Terra originally suspected ninjas. As a ninja herself she was quite schooled on where a ninja could hide even in such bright conditions. The Doctor dismissed this idea as he’d dismissed all of Terra’s ideas. 

Five minutes after they landed, they were responsible for twenty-two deaths. Not so much _ ‘responsible’  _ actually but anyone could blame them if they chose. In truth the Doctor and Terra had done nothing. Nothing at all. Arguably, their very presence should’ve been a warning that the area was dangerous. The title of the planet should’ve warned anyone away.

A tourist ship known simply as the Attraction explained that they were a tourist trap for the rich. The guide, Hickory Flimms, explained they were some thrill seekers that paid a small fortune to boast that they walked on the planet. 

Terra counted twenty-seven aliens in all. Each of them were some variety of human. Many explored the nearby terrain before the ground opened up for a...well...this is where Lovecraft’s style comes in. Remember the images that came to you when this idea came about, of what Lovecraft would do to that world.

The creature- alien- eldritch horror whatever- ascending from the ground could only be described as an esophagus with three tusks. Terra was surprised at how monstrous the thing was. Even as high up as she watched it go-over two hundred feet- she would bet another hundred feet were hidden below.

She’d made it a point to never meet the worm from  _ Spongebob Squarepants _ . Seeing this thing made her feel justified in that decision.

The worm came up to eat the TARDIS, then tried and failed to eat the Attraction. The tusks pierced the engine, setting off sparks. It set the ship and the worm ablaze. In it’s haste to leave without being eaten, passengers were left behind.

The only survivors of  _ The Attraction  _ were: Hickory Flimms himself, a Mistress Qwelleen of the Orcheight Guild, a Nimosite anthropologist from the planet Ceratesh called Krux, and two space pirates, Tad Groogan and Lyric. Just Lyric.

Terra could understand the first three and why they came. Flimms needed the job and money. Krux _ (they were just a walking barnacle man, complete with tentacles for hands! Tentacle hands, she’d never seen the like. Forget _ Finding Nemo _ , this world was clearly  _ Spongebob  _ but somehow worse)  _ was probably doing it for study purposes- to see the land themselves. Qwelleen- from that probe she stuck in the ground before the worm arrived- wanted resources from it. That was just a guess from Terra. Why else would Qwelleen have done it? 

Of course nobody paid mind to those questions. Everyone was a bit panicked on how exactly they would get off Death’s Deal with no ship and where apparently giant worms can and will kill you. Tad Groogan came up with a great idea!

Well that’s a lie. The idea wasn’t his exactly. It was more that opportunity came knocking and he answered...then shot it, rifled it’s pockets, then stole whatever he could find. He was a self-proclaimed pirate after all.

_ (Yes the Doctor complained about there always being one with a gun. Forget it that Terra carried. The Doctor was assuming that Terra wouldn’t quick draw at the first sign of trouble) _

Groogan looking Terra’s age made his presence less than threatening. Lyric no better- looking more the age of Terra’s previous self.

Qwelleen was the next to go. She’d decided to forget the space pirate with a gun, instead walking off a random direction. This was a bad idea as a new creature came up from the ground. This one with long, reddish claws.

_ Can you feel it, Mr Krabs? _

_ Can you feel it, Mr Krabs? _

_ Can you feel it, Mistress Qwelleen? _

Terra shot first. Groogan’s gun was barely warmed up when Terra was already shooting three rapid rounds into the appendages. Too late to save Qwelleen, for all that Terra tried.

After some scolding a la the Doctor, Groogan revealed his plan. A still functional distress beacon from a ship rumored to have crashed with treasure. Terra got a ‘friend we made along the way’ vibe to this treasure, or maybe even a ‘cool new science that maybe got out of hand’. Definitely not any jewels or precious minerals for Groogan to swipe.

Yet as he played this beacon...Donna noticed it was Morse Code.

Terra was the one to realize it spelled out ‘allonsy’.

==MGCB==

_ The Howling Jupiter _ was just about the most boring looking ship on this planet. Which, on a planet where everything was covered in coral, made it stand out. Donna noted that oddness of it to the Doctor and Terra. The Doctor answered that they might be retreating. If a message for the Doctor was inside, Terra couldn’t blame the coral.

Groogan recruited Flimms for his treasure hunting. Krux decided to wait outside the ship. Apparently his planet was a lot like Death’s Deal but with less death.

The Doctor, Terra, and Donna went off with Lyric. They had a signal to follow.

Oh what a signal it was...

The flight deck was surprisingly intact. There was minor damage in the form of the shattered viewscreen. The elements were brought inside but they seemed not to affect the message itself.

“No remains of the crew. Like they were never here.” The Doctor examined the central control panel. “Residual power but the sensors are shattered. Pity, thought I might be able to locate the TARDIS.”

Terra wanted to mention hearing the TARDIS in her head. A faint song, singing softly and distantly. She’d been able to hear that song for years now. Bringing it up now could bring up bad memories of the Year. So...she’d be quiet.

She was focusing more on who could be sending this message. She dismissed her sister, and Jack. They would’ve been more subtle, or even giving the clue on Terra’s phone. Terra wondered if it was a thing from Rose Tyler and her adventures crossing over the border between worlds. How many ways could she reach out, besides the few random clips of her screaming in the show? Or the Doctor tracing her with a sonic?

“Your blue capsule?” Lyric asked. By the Author, every time she spoke Terra was reminded of her previous body. Lyric looked not too different. Her behavior was quiet, usually staying in the back of their survival group and maintaining silence. Her blue eyes were another matter entirely. They hit Terra’s hearts with the accuracy of a knife. “It was destroyed.”

“No it was  _ eaten _ . There’s a difference.” The Doctor corrected Lyric.

“She’s been hit by everything!” Terra added. “The TARDIS is tougher than  _ tusks _ , pfft.”

The Doctor got out his sonic. He pressed it against a control panel- the source of the signal. “Funny thing is...there’s a secondary signal  _ inside _ the distress call.” He glanced over his shoulders at his companions. “Who’d leave me messages on a derelict spaceship? Any ideas?”

“Intergalactic call center? Trying to spam you for space insurance?” Donna suggested.

“I never buy insurance.” The Doctor dismissed. “Terra, anything?”

“Someone insane!” Terra considered the only logical option left. The only person she knew that left messages for the Doctor to find. While the timeline  _ barely  _ made sense this way, she wouldn’t put it past River Song. “From the future...probably knows that this is the most effective way of getting you to pay attention...knew you would be here...”

On the control panel a small screen glowed. A snowy picture appeared.

To Terra’s shock, it wasn’t River Song or Jack or even Darcy. The people on screen were later described by Donna as  _ ‘a geeky looking young man with big hair, a red bowtie...and strangely familiar eyes’. _

Terra’s chest tightened at the first sight of the bowtie. The last time she’d seen it, the bowtie was dark blue, the coat was purple. She could remember him with accuracy, as if it were happening before her eyes all over again.

Suddenly, Terra remembered a new form of grief. The grief of mourning this Doctor-  _ her Doctor, in a lot of ways- _ hurting worse than anything ever. How was she supposed to cope?

_ I killed you _

_ I’m so sorry Doctor _

Donna didn’t need to describe the other. Beside him was a much more familiar face, if not outfit. Bright ginger hair curled around her shoulders, a blue bowtie, and a bright pink sweater instead of her pink bodice and white sleeves.

“Hold on, that’s Terra!”

_ “It’s me!”  _ The Time Lady on the screen waved dramatically.

Terra narrowed her eyes at the screen. “There’s a comment here that I’m choosing not to acknowledge.”

“ _ What _ .” The Doctor gawked. “No-  _ what _ ?!”

“Terra, who’s this bozo?” Donna asked.

Terra pointed her thumb at the Doctor.

_ “Hello Me.” _ The Eleventh Doctor waved. “ _ How am I? See I sorta kept the hair. It’s not too bad although ginger would’ve been nice.” _

_ “He’s jealous.” _ Terra on screen flipped her hair.

_ “Would’ve been cool, wouldn’t it?”  _ The Eleventh Doctor smiled, wistfully at his friend’s bright orange hair. She elbowed him.  _ “Hello Donna Noble!” _

“ _ Hi! Hi it’s me! On screen, and on your left! And this is the Doctor!”  _ Future Terra straightened her bowtie, beaming. “ _ Don’t you worry a bit, I’m keeping it in good condition.” _

She could almost breathe a sigh of relief. Her worries were already full blown with the sight of the future Time Lord. And what to be said of her Doctor, of what dangers he faced by the end of his life. Dangers Terra herself threw him in.

Future Terra promised he was in good condition...how long could she promise that?

“But he’s younger!” Donna argued, confused. “Blimey, that’s major work you’ll have done! More than a nip and tuck-”

“Donna ! Future me is talking!” The Doctor interrupted. His cheeks were slightly pink. Turned from Donna’s view, Terra had a front row seat.

_ “Sorry for leaving a message on a random derelict spaceship but there’s something important we need you to do and I’m afraid it’s going to be dangerous.” _

He spoke with his hands. Every word was met with an exaggerated swing of his hands, a twisting of his fingers like he was trying to speak to them through sign language, a constant tilting of the head like why one would shake a magic eight ball.

Terra could never understand how he was taken so seriously. She wanted to meet him, to meet this Doctor again so bad...seeing him, be able to feel a real person beneath her hand rather than old memories...that would soothe her.

She understood why the Doctor was still so enamored with Sarah Jane Smith, a half a dozen faces later. Nobody could ignore this feeling swelling up inside.

It wasn’t romantic, Terra was certain of that. This didn’t come with the same feelings it did for Martha. This...this was like when Terra sat in a state covered in ash, and her sister appeared at her side.

Eleven was still talking. _“You see, this_ really is _the deadliest planet in the galaxy. Not because of the coral-”_

_ “Kinda actually though-” _

_ “Right yes, that coral will kill you too. It’s because of what’s underneath the surface. Slaughter crystals.” _

The Doctor blanched. Terra didn’t have any idea what the problem was, but she took it seriously. Well not  _ ‘any idea _ ’. Anything called  _ ‘slaughter crystals’  _ weren’t exactly gonna be nice, huh?

_ “The Wraith Mining Cartel is on its way right now.”  _ The Eleventh Doctor went on. “ _ They’re criminally insane and will bulldoze the planet to get what they want.  _ I know _ you need to get people to safety, but also stop Wraith or millions upon millions will die.” _

“What must I do?” The Tenth Doctor asked. 

This made the Eleventh grin.  _ “And now you’re asking yourself _ ‘what must I do?’ _ I never doubted you. Terra did.” _

Future Terra shrugged. Her pink sweater fluffed up as she did.  _ “Yeah, there was a lot to doubt. Terra, you’ve met him, you understand him best of all.” _

It shocked Terra from her own head. She’d been stuck in a mind loop of...to be honest, it was just the Eleventh Doctor’s parting words to her. “I do.” Terra nodded, stroking her chin. “ _ Finally _ someone gets me.”

Future Terra smiled, sympathetic. Not to the idea of being understood, rather instead of the storm raging in Terra’s mind. She’d been in Terra’s boots. She remembered what this must be like.

_ “It’s the most dangerous of all, and he was so good with dangerous.”  _ Eleven reminded her.

_ “Good at nearly  _ dying _ from dangerous.” _ Terra countered. 

_ “You always picked up my slack.”  _ The Eleventh Doctor praised. Both Terra’s beamed at the compliment. “ _ Okay. That’s a good point...anyway!” _ The Eleventh Doctor clapped his hands together, getting back on point. _ “Go deep into the coral field. There you’ll find a survivor. A Mr Merritt Erskine-” _

_ “ _ Professor _ Erskine.” _ Future Terra corrected.

_ “Yes. The Professor has proof that slaughter crystals exist. The TARDIS is stuck somewhere deep underground. Terra knows the way- she can hear the signal in her sonic. Apparently she put in the upgrade.” _

Future Terra tapped her skull. Terra tapped her own skull too. Ah, so they were going to lie about hearing the TARDIS. That’s okay. She can believe it well enough from the sonic.

_ “Find it, and transmit that proof to galactic authorities.”  _ The Eleventh Doctor instructed. “ _ Oh and make sure you save Erskine.” _

Terra’s watch beeped.  _ “Meap! We’re out of time!” _

The Eleventh Doctor grinned at himself through the screen.  _ “Good luck, Doctor! After me, you’re the greatest.” _

Future Terra just smiled at her younger. She’d said all she needed to say. Terra silently praised herself.

While she hadn’t Jumped to Spongebob, she had  _ plenty  _ of fun in  _ Phineas & Ferb _ .

Future Terra winked just as the screen cut to black.

Terra’s hearts may have broken when she lost sight of him. What of it? Her hearts were used to it by now.

“Slaughter crystals.” The Doctor snarled.

“Bad right?” Donna asked. 

“ _ Very _ rare.  _ Very _ toxic.” The Doctor explained. “Bombs powerful enough to devastate planets everywhere. Civilized society planned their extraction.”

“So basically the worst sort of thing for anybody to have, ever. Worse than a laser gun.” Terra asked.

The Doctor nodded. “Worse than a  _ million  _ guns.”

“How did  _ Wraith _ find out?” Lyric asked.

Right. She existed. With all the craziness of the past few minutes, Terra actually forgot she was there for a bit. Could she be blamed? Her First Face was sending them a message.

“ _ Pocahauntus _ !” Donna exclaimed. Terra gawked at Donna, wondering how that was relevant. Donna made more pop culture references than Terra. ‘Twas a mighty feat indeed. “I mean, that woman, Qwelleen? I saw her using some kind of probe!”

“Yeah!” Terra gasped. “She wore a feather headdress. Is that what you meant?” Donna looked confused. “By Pocahauntus?”

“Oh! Yeah. Sorry-”

“No it was clever.” Terra praised. “Got it quick- just wanted to check. She  _ did  _ hold that thing up in the sky, like trying to get a signal on a bad phone-”

“He said there was a survivor.” Lyric spoke up. By the slight tremble and force of her voice, she’d been building up the courage to do it. “Erskine. Could it really be true?”

“Well, my future self said so and I’m rarely wrong.” The Doctor encouraged her.

Terra winced. “ _ Well- _ ”

“What’d you think of that hair, by the way?” The Doctor interrupted.

“A bit-” Terra gestured to his head, twisting her fingers about. “-floppy.”

_ “Floppy?” _

“Donna what’d you think?” Terra asked. 

Donna gave her answer. 

Terra and the Doctor stared. Terra was fighting a giggle, while the Doctor looked more offended than before.

“What do you mean,  _ ‘future self’ _ ?” Lyric asked. She was so new to the whole thing, it made sense she’d be lost. “He looked nothing like you. Are you a shapeshifter?”

“No not really. Although I’ve a friend who was.” The Doctor admitted.

“Really?” Terra was surprised. The only shapeshifters she knew here were Zygons. Granted the Slitheen were close with human skin suits, and anything with a decent perceptions filter. She’d have to look this guy up-

“Yes actually, he liked being a penguin.” The Doctor recalled with delight.

Terra blinked. Donna- too- seemed curious by the revelation. “I’m jealous- now I wanna be a penguin.”

The Doctor gave her a comforting pat on the back. Terra reasoned the only way she would ever become a penguin was to jump to  _ Happy Feet _ or even  _ Madagascar _ . 

_ (She refused both) _

“You must be a master of disguise!” Lyric reasoned. 

Terra tensed. Her hand gripping tight to her Bag, and the Doctor’s arm. 

“Nah. Not one of those.” The Doctor dismissed. He put a hand on Terra’s, squeezing it in assurance. “That was...an old friend.”

Terra breathed out through her nose. Her smile was too sharp, too tight, to be relaxed. Her eyes shrunk, darting about looking for some threat only she knew was coming.

It didn’t help that a noise went off above their heads. An awful upsetting thing- like an advancement of attack. 

Terra gripped tighter to the Doctor. “Time to pick up your slack!”

The Doctor was the only one to give it a laugh as they ran. Even then, it was only in their heads.

==MGCB==

Now a lot of things happened after. None of them were particularly important. Frimms died from more creatures, melted before their eyes. Donna nearly died too if Terra hadn’t shot the creatures off. Because of their arrival, a hole formed in the ground that Donna and Krux fell inside.

Terra did her best to give directions to the TARDIS- a general direction of  _ ‘that way _ ’ and such. She hoped it would help.

The remaining four went into the large deadly coral field. They found Erksine walking that field, clearly six years in isolation ruined his sanity.

Terra wouldn’t know what that was like. 

...Shut up.

How’d they get the number? Well that was thanks to Lyric _Erksine_. The mad scientist was apparently her long lost father. _What a treat_! Lyric knew her father was sent to this planet on a surveying mission, tricked by _Wraith_ and even shot down by them. Her only evidence in his survival being hope. She worked to get on this planet, hitching a ride with Groogan. Pity that her own father didn’t recognize her- refusing to even look at the locket around his neck with her picture in it.

Erksine wasn’t idle those six years either. He trained  _ pets _ to guard his ship. He tamed even the coral around it, fending it off from his crashed ship. Such a wonder, a brilliant mind even if the edges were a bit mucked up. Worse yet was the slaughter crystal he used on his walking staff. A single scratch melted Groogan into a corpse.

_ Fathers never like their daughters choice of mate _

_ Not that Lyric even liked Groogan _

_ Groogan liked her- a lot _

_ One was almost said to see him go _

_...nah _

Erksine apparently liked keeping his pets and garden well fed. He would toss them off a cliff into a giant patch of coral. Any of the usual stragglers around, perhaps even former members of his crew, perhaps former tourists on  _ the Attraction _ , the splashes of blood around his feeding cliff made it clear he wasn’t shy of it.

Terra couldn’t tell exactly what happened on Donna’s end. All she knew was that as she fought off Erksine, her and the Doctor’s Sonics buzzed with a confirmation signal. It upset Erksine’s pets and garden. Apparently the Lovecraft style Spongebob Squarepants planet didn’t much like a bunch of signals constantly blaring. 

Yeah she didn’t like that much either.

The Doctor dropped his sonic. Terra used her’s for the return signal.

Her Future Self was only able to give a brief message. While the language of  _ ‘Meap’ _ was versatile, there was only so much it could do in a rush. 

Terra knew that the Doctor and Lyric would fall off the cliff, Erksine too. Erksine at least gave Lyric the locket before he died.

Lyric fell off. The Doctor grabbed her, slipping himself. Terra- forewarned- was able to pull a rope from her Bag to use for leverage. She got the two back up to stable ground.

The TARDIS appeared behind them. Terra sighed in relief. Donna walked out, Krux behind her. He really liked the box. The locket was revealed to have the evidence needed. The Doctor used it to alert the authorities.

Terra also destroyed the automated mining ships incoming. Before the Doctor could rage, Terra revealed the message her future self let slip. He was impressed that Future Terra managed to slip something under his nose.

_ Ha _

_ Haha _

_ Haha _

_ Ha ha _

_ Haha _

Terra just took the praise then let it slide.

The Doctor deactivated the signals. The planet instantly calmed down- less rage from the coral and worms. 

Krux and Lyric decided to stay behind for the authorities, let them know what occurred. Krux even wanted to bring back a survey team now that the planet was calm. Lyric on the other hand was standing to the side, looking down at the ground and trying to hide her grief.

Terra understood pain like that. “Lyric? Did I not mention, thanks? For sticking by us.”

“Yes.” The Doctor chimed in, cheery as ever. “Thank you, Lyric.”

“It’s a pity you only partly succeeded.” Lyric replied. The Doctor scrunched up his eyebrows, frowning. Terra tilted her head. “The message? Your future selves said to save my father.” Lyric held the locket tight, the remnants of her picture still there.

“They said  _ ‘save Erskine’ _ . They didn’t specify which one.” The Doctor pointed out.

Lyric frowned. Yes, they hadn’t specified. Still she must’ve wanted her father to make it out of there. Terra figured a mind that lost, even that small bit of clarity at the end, wouldn’t last long as memories of what he’d done the past few years. 

The Doctor gave her the microdrive, full of data collected by her father. 

“There’s a lot of data on here. You’d be very interested.” He explained. “Perhaps you can even build off it, assume your father’s role and protect the cosmos. Make sure slaughter crystals stay in the ground. Maybe that’s your destiny.” The Doctor suggested. “Who knows?”

Lyric eyed it, hesitant. “Who knows indeed.” Then for the first time since they met, Lyric smiled.

==MGCB==

Back in her room that night- after introducing Donna to her personal room for her stay, Donna was very much in love with it- Terra might’ve cried.

_ She missed him _

_ She missed him with a physical ache in her chest _

_ Him and Oswin...her entire self felt crushed by their absence. _

The Doctor didn’t remember the message by the next day. Donna was confused by that. The Doctor admitted he could remember the instructions, remembered they sent them to Erskine, he just couldn’t remember watching it.

Terra explained it to Donna. The complicated nature of time around Time Lords. If they were to interact with a future self, time would wipe it from the Time Lord’s mind. They simply couldn’t handle the confusion.

It made sense as she explained it. The Eleventh Doctor didn’t know his own face, which the Tenth Doctor just witnessed. Maybe subconsciously he would remember. 

Donna then asked why Terra hadn’t forgotten.

Terra just giggled. Donna waved her off, guessing that Terra didn’t remember either. 

_ Terra could never forget his face _

_ Ever _

_ She refused. _

_ Her mind may be lost but she would  _ never _ let that moment go. _

_ A memory of her Doctor, alive and well, smiling happily by her side. Why should she? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahaha, Donna thinks 11 looks young. Hahaha he’s like twelve years old, Donna, don’t bully the child. Hahaha that’s my job!  
> Yeah this took longer than I would’ve liked. Publishing an update close to the special threw me off. Luckily I was able to scramble this together. I was originally gonna make it longer but...nah this was alright.  
> The next update will be for Planet of the Ood and it will exist.  
> If you don’t mind, leave a review? I love reading what y’all gave to say!


	6. Planet Of The Ood

The Doctor flipped another switch. He beamed at us both, buzzing with positive energy like he’d eaten all the sugar. “Set the controls to random. Mystery tour. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide u-. Are you alright?”

“Terrified. I mean, history’s one thing but an alien  _ planet _ ?” Donna asked, laughing.

Now...someone could very easily point out that we’d just come from one. Except well...I wasn’t supposed to remember given Time Lord’s ruler around crossing your own timeline. We made a point to tell Donna not to remind us too much about it, in case Problems came up.

But I remembered every second. 

_ Can’t forget. Won’t forget. When I forget people  _ die-  _ he wore brown the tweed- _

“I could always take you home.” The Doctor offered.

“No!” I jumped to Donna’s side, taking a firm stance by her side. “Donna stays. She stays because she is special and wonderful and-”

“Yeah, don’t laugh at me.” Donna asked.

“Yes ma’am.” I stepped back.

“We know what it’s like.” The Doctor assured her. “Everything you’re feeling right now. The fear, the joy, the wonder? We get that.”

“Seriously? After all this time?” Donna asked, surprised. She glanced between the both of us.

“Yeah. Why do you think we keep going?” The Doctor asked. He grabbed his long coat, pulling it on.

I threw my arms in the air. “We love it! New places, new things. It never gets old. Every time we walk out those doors is better than the last!”

Donna smiled then. A beautiful joyful smile that could only light up a room. “Oh. All right then, all of us together.” Donna walked towards the door. I stood by the pilot seat. “This is _ barmy _ . I was born in Chiswick. I’ve only ever had package holidays. Now I’m here. This is so. I mean it’s. I don’t know, it’s all sort of. I don’t even know what the word is.”

In complete delight, Donna rushed out the door. The Doctor and I exchanged a giddy smile before following her. Donna opened the door- sending a cold blast of air back to us. Donna walked out into the snow. I grabbed the Doctor’s arm.

_ ‘Doc. Doc Brown. Doc Brown, can it be?’ _

_ ‘I think it is’ _

“Oh, I’ve got the word. Freezing.” Donna mused to herself.

“REAL! LIVE! SNOW!” I cheered, running out of the TARDIS. Snow kicked up beneath my feet, falling again onto the ground.

The Doctor stepped out. Myself, I kicked up more snow and even started rolling in it to make a snow angel. “Snow! Oh, real snow. Proper snow at last. That’s more like it. Lovely. Always told you I’d get you there, Terra! What do you think?”

“I LOVE IT!” Hopping up, I showed off my art. “See? Snow angel. This one isn’t gonna kill you by touch.”

The Doctor barked with laughter. It made me giggle

Donna shivered, holding herself to warm up. “Bit cold.”

“Look at that view.” The Doctor praised.

Spinning in place, I looked out on the Ood planet. A fear I had coming into this was that the view would look so much like Utopia. The structures were blue mountain ridges. Long thick icicles hung from them. The kind of icicles that you knew would turn you into mush when they land on you. In the dark, I bet this place became a lot more terrifying. In the light of day, I loved it.

I love cold planets.

“Best. View. Ever!” Sighing in delight, I fell back into the snow.

“Yep. Beautiful, cold view.” Donna replied.

“Millions of planets, millions of galaxies, and we’re on this one.” The Doctor cheered. I pulled myself to my feet, spinning to get the snow off my skirt. _ Time for a wardrobe change! _ “Molto bene. Bellissimo, says Donna, born in Chiswick.”

The door popped open. Donna walked back in, shivering against the cold. I danced behind the TARDIS. Hidden from view, I quickly went about changing into something warmer. The blue skort was staying, same for the boots and bowtie. The dress would be switched out. Who was even around to see?

“All you’ve got is a life of work and sleep, and telly and rent and tax and takeaway dinners, all birthdays and Christmases and two weeks holiday a year, and then you end up here.”

I pulled out a baggy dark pink sweater. It came from the Year, found in a store one night. New Zealand was great for shoplifting. Pulling the wool sweater over my head, I searched for another skort (I’d made extra) and a pair of white leggings. 

The exact look that- if I recall correctly- my future self wore in the message from Death’s Deal.

“Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that Donna?...Donna? Terra?”

“Here!” I hopped out from behind the TARDIS. Walking up to him, I straightened the bowtie. “Is it cute? I was going for cute.”

“A sweater, really?” The Doctor asked with a smile.

I tilted my head, smiling wide. “The dress sleeves weren’t made for cold. Sweaters are. Hey did you lose Donna?”

“She’s not with you? Wait where did you change-” The Doctor asked. We both looked back at the TARDIS to watch a bundled-up Donna return.

She wore the biggest fur coat I’d ever seen. The hood was pulled up, fur blowing with the cold breeze. “Sorry, you were saying?” Donna asked.

“Better?” The Doctor asked.

Donna buttoned up the coat. “Lovely, thanks.”

“Comfy?” The Doctor asked.

“Yep.”

“Can you hear anything inside that?” The Doctor asked.

“Pardon?”

The Doctor and I giggled. “All right, I was saying. Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth-”

“Aren’t you cold?” Donna grumbled at me.

“I’m never gonna finish it, am I?”

I checked over my outfit again. “Nah the sweater is fine. Besides, I work better in the cold!” I cheered. “In fact, I don’t think it’s cold enough!”

Donna snorted. Before she could say anything more, a loud sound came from overhead. I hissed at it. That damn thing disrupted the very Winterwonderland theme of it all. Yeah, our blue box wasn’t helping either but the TARDIS got a pass.

Besides, I know who was on that rocket.

Or rather, who wasn’t.

Nobody there was a Friend to the Ood. For that, they are all my enemies.

“Rocket. Blimey, a real  _ proper _ rocket.” Donna praised. That’s fine. She can think whatever she wants. There’s plenty of time to correct her bad opinions. “Now  _ that’s _ what I call a spaceship. You’ve got a _ box _ , he’s got a _ Ferrari _ . Come on, let’s go see where he’s going.”

I looked inside the Doctor’s mind.  _ ‘I’m the one with a Ferrari. And it’s not like that thing can travel in time.’ _

_ ‘She’s young, she’ll learn.’ _ I told him, patting him on the back.

As we walked off after the thing...the singing started. Not from me, or not yet anyway. The singing came softly in my mind. Though it was gentle the song brought great sadness to me. 

_ I am an Ood Friend _

_ And the Circle breaks  _ tonight.

==MGCB==

The spaceship long since flew out of even my sight. The icy bridges blocked the ship’s pathing. Still, the Doctor guided us best he could. Just walking in the direction of the flight path.

The song got louder with every step. An aria, echoing in my head over and over. That damn melody reminded me of what I could lose. It reminded me of what I already lost.

_ “Wouldn’t it be fun if I made them all snap their own necks?” _

The song still played. My hearts grew heavier the closer we got. The Doctor and Donna giggled. Snow fell on our heads like the best kind of Christmas claymation special. It made me worse and worse. Why couldn’t I feel that joy? Why was I stuck feeling this intense grief, pulling me down?

When it got really bad, I reached out to the Doctor. 

“Terra?” The Doctor asked. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s loud.” I let go of him, reaching for my ears. The Ood’s- the poor, poor Delta- song was fading.

“Oh.” The Doctor’s face fell. “I can hear it now. Donna, can you?” Donna tilted her head. “Donna, take your hood down.”

Donna did so. “What?”

_ I’m sorry- _

_ No no, please- _

“No!” I started running towards the hill of snow. The top of the Ood could be seen, just barely. As I ran closer they became more clear. “No please!”

As I approached him, I slid on the snow. Not even the sounds of the snow crunching under me cheered me up.

The Ood lay half-buried beneath the snow. Thrown out like _ trash.  _ Delta just wanted to defend his people, get the managers to let them go. Only they shot him. He was running away and they shot him  _ ‘like a dog’. _

_ Oh, poor Ood _

_ Glorious Ood _

I cupped the side of his face. In my mind, I returned his song to him. Matching the melody in harmony. At best, I could bring him peace as he faded. He blinked blearily at me, eyes shifting from white to red.

_ “Wouldn’t it be a mercy to kill them before this thing does?” _

His pain...I understood it. The Master kept me contained the same. While he didn’t take out my literal brain, he might as well have. He used my skills to help him ensure control over planet Earth. Just like this Ood, I got justice. Just like this Ood, I was free.

_ I would give them back their freedom _

_ They deserve nothing less. _

The Doctor knelt on the other side of the Ood. “Terra can you-”

“Shh!”

“What is it?” Donna asked, yelping in disgust.

“An Ood. He’s called an Ood.” The Doctor explained.

My thumb brushed on his wrinkly head. The Ood tilted his head into my palm. 

“But it’s face-” Donna asked.

I hissed at her. “HE! He is a  _ he _ ! The Ood are not  _ things _ ! They are  _ living _ ,  _ breathing beings just like you! _ ” Donna jumped back, blinking in shock.

“She doesn’t mean it, she’s stressed.” The Doctor told Donna. “It’s fine. She’s just- Terra can you-”

I glared at him. The Doctor nodded, simply accepting it. He pulled out the stethoscope. I turned my attention back to the Ood. My mind played for him.

Donna walked around the snowbank. She knelt at my side, reaching for my hand. “Sorry.”

“You’re learning. It’s fine.” I dismissed the grievance. Really, I should be sorry. I hissed at Donna Noble- made her feel bad. What an awful friend I am.

The Ood song cried out to me. My focus went back to him, giving him all of it.

“I don’t know where the heart is. I don’t know if he’s got a heart.” The Doctor huffed in aggravation. “Talk to him, keep him going.”

“I am.” I replied.

“You’re not saying anything though.” Donna asked. Her question wasn’t defensive, or snobbily pointing it out. Donna was genuinely asking me that. Wow, I loved that Donna was kind like that.

“Ood are telepathic. They speak in their minds to each other.” I replied. My thumb moved on his head again, my palm moving to brush his bald head. “He’s singing with me. It’s really pretty.”

“I bet it is.” Donna awkwardly patted my shoulder. When I turned to smile back at her, she wore a comforting smile. My cheeks were awfully cold for no reason at all, freezing over with something that definitely couldn’t be water. “Er...Mr. Ood? Er, what’s your name?”

The Ood’s orb glowed. I bit back a sob. “Designated Ood Delta 50.”

“I’m Terra.” I told him. “This is the Doctor and Donna. We’re Ood Friends.”

“Ood Friends?” Donna asked.

“Trust me. You wanna be an Ood Friend.” I told her. Back to Delta, I continued gently singing along in his mind. 

“You’ve been shot.” The Doctor realized.

Delta’s song spiked in a way I didn’t like. “The circle.”

“I know, it’s Okie Doki.” I assured him. 

“No, don’t try to talk.” Donna tried to help me calm him down.

Delta focused his eyes on me. “The Circle must be broken.”

“It will. I swear.” I promised him. Not a chance that the Ood would be sold as slaves after today.

“Circle? What do you mean?” The Doctor asked. “Delta 50, what circle? Terra? What circle?”

“The Circle must be broken.” I told him, stern and like a vow.

Delta sat upright. He roared. His eyes flaring a bright brilliant red.

The Doctor grabbed me, pulling me away. Donna jumped up with him, helping the Doctor pull me back.

“No!” I yelled. Their grips were strong, fierce, and unwilling to slack.

Delta roared louder. The red in his eyes fading as the song did in my mind.  _ ‘Thank you...’ _

“NO!” Twisting my arms, I pulled myself from the Doctor and Donna.

It didn’t matter. Delta already passed, falling into the snow in a dead thump.

“Careful-” The Doctor cautioned.

“Nononono-” I ran by his side, kneeling. Despite the cold, I pressed my forehead to his.

No song.

No melody.

Not even a note.

He died not with a bang but a whimper.

_ Someone would pay for that. _

A loud silence filled the snow-filled space. The gentle hum of the wind did nothing to distract me from this grief.

“He’s gone.” Donna spoke so softly.

The Doctor came to my side. He knelt, putting a hand on my shoulder. “It’s alright.”

I stood up, angrily wiping my cheeks. These were tears of _ rage _ dammit.

Donna came up behind us. “We were too late.” She turned to me. “What do we do, do we bury him?”

“The snow’ll take care of that.” The Doctor answered. He looked down at the Ood, somewhere between mournful and questioning.

“Who was he? What’s an Ood?” Donna asked me.

“Slaves for the human race.” I hissed out. _ Dammit, those were spoilers. Can’t give away spoilers. Can’t do it can’t leave them in the Circle can’t- _ “Some say  _ ‘servants’ _ but I’ve lived in America during the Civil War, and saw what the South was like. I  _ know _ the difference.” Facing the Doctor and Donna, I put on a smile that would assure them I wasn’t about to lose my shit. “Slaves would sing in the fields...such sad songs...Delta sang to me. Even when he was dying, I heard it...it was such a sad song. What else could I do but sing back?”

“I couldn’t hear anything.” Donna pointed out. “He sang as he was dying.”

“His eyes turned red.” The Doctor reminded me. He gave me a sharp look.

“I told you, I know the difference.” I repeated, giving a sharp narrow look right back. “I would  _ know _ . Out of anyone else,  _ I would know. _ This isn’t the same. This was- this was different.”

“What’s that mean? His eyes were red?” Donna asked.

“Trouble.” The Doctor explained. “Come on.”

Kneeling one last time, I pressed a gentle kiss onto Delta’s head.

_ Rest in peace, poor Ood. _

_ I’ll free your people tonight in your honor _

_ And all those that came before you. _

The Doctor walked up to me. I stood up, wrapping my arms around my chest. The Doctor put his arm around me, ushering me away from the grave. 

“The Ood are harmless.” The Doctor explained to Donna. “They’re completely benign. That’s why the humans of the 42nd century loved them so much. Except, the last time we met them-” He glanced at me. _ ‘Are you okay with talking about this?’ _

_ ‘No, but she’s gonna ask until we give her something.’ _

_ ‘We don’t have to say it.’ _

_ ‘It’s fine, go ahead.’ _

_ ‘Not if you aren’t completely comfortable with it.’ _ The Doctor insisted.

“There was a big scary force taking them over. It was scary and nobody liked it because it sucked so bad.” I explained.

“What sort of force?” Donna asked.

_ ‘See? See I told you-’ _

“Oh, long story.” The Doctor dismissed.

“Long walk.” Donna countered.

“It was the  _ devil _ -” I answered, copying the mom from  _ Waterboy _ .

Donna huffed. “If you’re going to take the mickey, I’ll just put my hood back up.”

“Nah we left Mickey with Rickey and Pete.” These jokes were the only thing keeping me sane.

The Doctor guided us towards an uphill snowbank. “Must be something different this time, though. Something closer to home.” As we crested over the peak, I saw Ood Industries. The very sight had me ready to fight, to punch every single human there in the face.  _ Those bastards...enslaving a group of people...people that gave them trust...belief...hope...motherfuckers _ dared _ - _ “Ah ha! Civilization.”

Ah. Right. The Doctor was here.

I wanted to go  _ Django Unchained _ on their asses.

==MGCB==

Solana spoke to the large crowd of businesspeople just outside the door. Any moment, I could pull out my special Time Lord killing gun to just wipe them out. The Ood wouldn’t like such slaughter on their land. The Doctor wouldn’t like it either. So for now...no murder...just for now...

The Doctor pulled out the psychic paper. “Sorry, sorry, sorry. Late. Don’t mind us. Hello. The guards let us through.”

“And you would be?” Solana asked, smiling politely.

“The Doctor, Terra, and Donna Noble.” The Doctor explained.

“Representing the Noble Corporation PLC Limited, Intergalactic.” Donna answered.

“We spoke on the vid-phone last week.” I lied.

It worked, happily enough. Solana must have a busy life if that sort of memory could just be slipped in without missing a beat. “Must have fallen off my list. My apologies. Won’t happen again. Now then, Doctor Noble, Mrs. Noble, Ms. Noble, if you’d like to come with me.”

“Oh, no, no, no, no. We’re not married.” The Doctor corrected.

Donna shook her head. “We’re _ so  _ not married.”

_ “Not  _ their kid.” I insisted.

“Never.”

“Never ever.” 

“Never  _ never  _ ever.”

Solana smiled that still so polite smile. “Of course.” She handed us a plastic container. I grabbed it, looking it over. “And here are your information packs, vouchers inside. Now if you’d like to come with me, the Executive Suites are nice and warm.” Solana walked towards the door.

An Ood stood behind her. I locked eyes with him, tilting my head gently. The Ood copied my motion.

Right as the door opened an alarm went off. Out of all the people in the crowd, the Ood and I were the only ones not to look.

“Oh, what’s that? That sounds like an alarm.” The Doctor asked.

“Oh, it’s just a siren for the end of the work shift.” Solana lied. At, how lovely to see PR at its finest. “Now then, this way, quick as you can.”

The Doctor helped me walk inside. It got me to break eye contact with the Ood.

_ I won’t fail you _

_ I promise _

==MGCB==

Ood walked around the lobby space. They held up plates with drinks and snacks. It reminded me so much of their purposes on Krop Tor that my stomach turned. If I accepted their snacks, I would only puke it back up.

“As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve, and we keep them in facilities of the highest standard. Here at the Double O- that’s  _ Ood Operations- _ we like to think of the Ood as our _ trusted  _ friends.”

_ Right now I know- for a fact- that you are killing them. _

_ You’re killing every Ood that shows free will. _

_ You’re selling them for 50 credits a pop _

_ How the actual hell can any human be okay with this? _

_ Did y’all just forget the Civil War? Forget everyone that ever died to keep slaves from ever being a thing again? _

_ Author’s Fucking Plotline I am going to enjoy burning this place to the ground. _

“We keep the Ood healthy, safe, and educated.”

_ No, you fucking don’t _

“We don’t just  _ breed  _ the Ood. We make them  _ better _ . Because at heart, what is an Ood, but a reflection of us? If your Ood is happy, then you’ll be happy, too.”

_ Well I ain’t happy _

_ That explains everything _

“I’d now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations.” Solana walked over to Ood. Three Ood put their plates down, walking over to stand in a line. “We’ve introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the standard-setting. How are you today, Ood?”

“I’m perfectly well, thank you.” A polite voice replied, much in the traditional Ood voice.

“Or perhaps after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen.” Solana walked up to the second Ood. “And how are you, Ood?”

“All the better for seeing you.” A low sultry voice replied.

_ ‘Terra, you’re projecting your anger.’ _

_ ‘Are they pimping out Ood right now?!’ _

_ ‘You need to stay calm, at least for now.’ _

_ ‘How can you-?!’ _

_ ‘Then if they are as bad as you think, we’ll free the Ood. However you want.’ _

_ ‘...promise?’ _

_ ‘I swear.’ _

_ ‘...okay fine.’ _

“And the comedy classic option. Ood, you dropped something.” Solana told the third Ood.

The third held up the orb. A Homer Simpson  _ ‘doh’ _ came out.

_ ‘...I cannot stay nice for much longer.’ _

_ ‘...yeah I knew it wasn’t going to last long.’ _

“All that for only five additional credits.” Solana informed the giggling crowd. “The details are in your brochures. Now, there’s plenty more food and drink, so don’t hold back.” The crowd applauded her as she walked away.

_ This once, I will pass on drinks. The Ood are doing it out of force rather than actual want. _

The Doctor guided me towards Solana’s podium. A few quick button presses had the large viewscreen lighting up with a map of the universe. The Doctor walked behind me, slipping on his glasses.

“Ah, you got it.” The Doctor looked at the planets. The sooner we got this done, the sooner we could fix the Circle and free the Ood. “The Ood Sphere, I’ve been to this solar system before.  _ Years _ ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense Sphere. Let’s widen out.”

The Doctor changed it to show a bigger, brighter map complete with red lines. 

“The year 4126. _ That  _ is the  _ Second _ Great and Bountiful Human Empire.” The Doctor revealed.

“ _ 4126 _ ?” Donna asked, gawking. “It’s  _ 4126 _ . I’m in  _ 4126 _ .”

_ Every companion gets their own little freak out over the year _

_ It does bring a smile to my face...seeing Donna so excited about time travel _

_ Reminds me of all the good out there, despite all the bad right here. _

_ I can be happy, too, I guess... _

_ Being happy now doesn’t change the fact that I need to make things right. _

“It’s good, isn’t it?” The Doctor asked.

“Yep...” I smiled, actually feeling like smiling. Donna’s joy infected me.

“What’s the Earth like now?” Donna asked, still on a time-travel high.

“Bit full. But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies.” The Doctor explained.

“It’s weird. I mean, it’s brilliant, but.” Donna shook her head, laughing. “Back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven’t got long to live. Global warming, flooding, all the bees disappearing.”

“Yeah. That thing about the bees is odd.” The Doctor admitted.

I nodded. “Where do they even go? By all known laws of aviation, they shouldn’t even fly.”

“But look at us. We’re everywhere.” Donna cheered. She sobered up quickly. “Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?”

“Depends on who you ask.” I admitted.

“Sometimes I wonder.” The Doctor added.

Donna squinted at the screen. “What are the red dots?”

“Ood distribution centers.” The Doctor answered.

“Ah man...my good feelings are gone.” I pouted. Rage came back full force, my pout became a scowl.

“Across three galaxies? Don’t the Ood get a say in this?” Donna asked. “Terra said they were slaves.”

“Thank you!” I pointed at Donna, glaring at the Doctor. “Donna gets it. I should’ve  _ known  _ Donna would get it. She’s  _ smart _ .”

“But Doctor, are they?” Donna asked.

“Let’s try something.” I suggested. “Cause see last time, I asked an Ood a question a lot like it. Rose did too. At the time we wrote the answers off as weird powerful force stuff. Now though? I doubt it.”

Walking up to a nearby Ood, I smiled at him. The Ood nodded his head politely. Donna stood right behind me.

“Excuse me, Sir? Could you help me with something?”

“Of course, Miss.” The Ood replied.

“Are there any Ood in none serving positions?” I asked. “Oods that do not serve?”

The Ood blinked. The tentacles on his face twitched. “I do not understand, Miss.”

“What she means is-” Donna stepped in. “-are there any free Ood? Are there Ood running wild somewhere, like wildebeest?”

“All Ood are born to serve. Otherwise, we would die.” The Ood answered.

“Why? You can’t have been born like this. Before serving, before humans,  _ what were you like?”  _ I asked.

The Ood stared at me. His head twitched again. Something very unsettling had hairs on my neck standing. “The Circle.”

“What do you mean? What circle?” The Doctor asked.

The Ood’s head twitched again. “The C-Circle. The Circle is-”

“Ladies and gentlemen.” Solana called out. “All Ood to hospitality stations, please.” She began ushering the crowd to their next stop.

“Doctor.” I prompted. “Doctor, can we go topple a slave business? Please please please-”

“You’ve never had a better idea.” The Doctor agreed. “Do you fancy going off the beaten track?”

“Rough guide to the Ood Sphere? Works for me.” Donna replied.

“Huzzah!” I fist-pumped myself, smiling out to the retreating Ood.

==MGCB==

I used my sonic to buzz the gate open. Not only was the sonic buzzing, but I was. As we navigated the Ood Operations facility, the songs started again. It’s funny- the songs were muted like they were muffled. Given what I knew about them, that suppression made sense. 

_ Heartbreakingly made sense... _

My stomach turned when the automated voice announced Ood shift eight had begun. I stood to the side, clutching a cold metal railing. The Ood marched out from their containment buildings in two perfect rows, walking in too perfect formation. Yeah, I’m gonna be sick...

An Ood stumbled to the ground. The Ood in his group stopped to not break formation. A guard walked over to him.

“Get up.” When the Ood tried and failed, the guard cracked a whip by the Ood’s head. My hands tightened on the railing. “I said  _ get up. _ ”

“Oh god.” Donna gawked. “Servants? They’re slaves.”

“Get up! March.” The guard cracked the whip again.

_ It would be so easy _

_ Nobody would know it was me _

_ Just like last time _

_ Trigger press... _

The Ood fearfully pushed himself to his feet. The formation of Ood continued walking without breaking stride.

“Last time I met the Ood, I never thought. I never asked.” The Doctor admitted.

“That’s not like you.” Donna pointed out.

“I was busy. So busy I couldn’t save them. I had to let the Ood die.” The Doctor looked over at me. “You didn’t.”

_ Yes I did _

_ “I’ll let you decide. Belated birthday present.” _

“Focusing on them was easier.” I answered.

_ “Ne-necks.” _

“Doc Brown, you said we’d do it my way.” I reminded him.

“I did.” The Doctor nodded. “I reckon we owe them one.” He gave me a hard stare, suggesting that in no way could my plan involve murder.

_ Which it wouldn’t. _

_ This would be pest control. _

“That looks like the boss.” Donna nodded towards a small grouping of men, walking to Warehouse 15.

I smiled down at them, giggling to myself. Ood Sigma stood behind Halpen, carefully serving as an obedient slave to his master. Even the bald spot on Halpen’s head made me grin.

_ Ood Sigma, you rock _

“Let’s keep out of his way. Come on.” The Doctor began guiding us away.

_ Seriously you rock. I mean, disguising it as a hair tonic. Genius. I’m so happy for you- _

“Terra.”

“No murder, I remember.” I turned from the metal railing. Halpen would get his time. Other Ood needed my help right now. Justice would come to Ood Operations.

==MGCB==

The three of us snuck around the buildings. I guided myself by hearing the songs in my head. They got louder the closer I stood to certain warehouses. One we passed by had the loudest songs. I stopped by the door. The Doctor kept walking. Donna whistled loudly for him.

“Thanks, Donna, he gets a bit in his head sometimes.” Whipping out my sonic, I unlocked the door.

“No problem.” Donna cheerily replied. 

The Doctor walked back. I pushed the door open for us. “Where’d you learn to whistle?”

“West Ham, every Saturday.” Donna answered.

The inside disgusted me. Dozens on dozens of shipping containers. Every single thing about this space made me sick. It made me  _ angry _ . The bitter kind of anger that always came for me. A wave of righteous, powerful anger that could topple  _ worlds _ if I let it.

You know what? I was feeling inclined.

“The  _ claw _ .” I pointed up at the large claw swinging about the place. It moved thwarts a container, lifting it for transport.

“Ood export. You see?” The Doctor pointed the claw out. “Lifts up the containers, takes them to the rocket sheds, ready to be flown out all over the three galaxies.”

“What, you mean, these containers are full of?” Donna asked.

“Ood don’t come with accessories.” I reminded her, walking over to the closest container.

The lock snapped open. I pulled it back, the Doctor opening the other door. Inside, the Ood stood in perfect formation.

_ Is that fury in my belly or vomit? _

“Oh, it stinks.” Donna huffed. Good. She should be offended by the stupidity of her species. “How many of them do you think there are in each one?”

“Hundred? More?” The Doctor guessed.

“All that can fit.” I reasoned. “The Ood aren’t gonna complain, are they?”

“A great big empire built on  _ slavery _ .” Donna scoffed.

“ _ Yes _ .” I replied, smiling with all my teeth. Those were the best ones to overthrow. You always knew the slaves from their masters.

“It’s not so different from your time.” The Doctor pointed out.

“Oi. I haven’t got  _ slaves _ .” Donna snapped.

“Who do you think made your clothes?” The Doctor scolded.

Donna looked away from the Ood to glare. I did too. “Is that why you travel round with a human at your side? It’s not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it’s so you can take cheap shots?”

The Doctor grimaced. “Sorry.”

“ _ Don’t _ -” Donna hissed. She stopped herself, adding in a “Spaceman.” The Doctor smiled in assurance.

_ ‘Terra. What do you remember from last time?’ _

_ ‘I remember lots of things about that day. Please specify.’ _

_ ‘About the Ood. Do you remember any of it?’ _

_ ‘Danny explained what they were, Rose and I got offended. We were declared ‘Friends Of The Ood’, which is the coolest name for a punk rock band!’  _ I reported.

_ ‘Anything about a circle?’ _

_ ‘It must be broken.’ _

_ ‘But what is it? Why do you know about it?’ _ The Doctor asked.

My hearts hammered painfully in my chest. His answer reminded me of just how much I’d given away, things that nobody could see yet. My knowledge went beyond reasonable deductions. I’d shown my hand.

_ ‘The Ood sing such pretty songs.’ _ I replied.

“I don’t understand, the door is open, why don’t you just run away?” Donna asked them.

An Ood in front held up his orb. “For what reason?”

“You could be free.” Donna explained like it was obvious.

The Ood tilted his head. “I do not understand the concept.”

“What is it with that Persil ball?” Donna asked us. “I mean, they’re not born with it, are they? Why do they have to be all plugged in?”

Plugging in keeps them connected to the Circle.

Keeps them alive.

Reminds them that they have something out there, singing out support. She can’t stop what’s coming but she does her best.

It’s not her fault. I don’t blame her- I never could. Even on the worst days, I never blamed her. She tried to save m- them as best she could.

They just wanted to be free.

Pity they kill only a few jailers to do it.

As for not running, why would they? They’d leave so many people behind. Their people. All of them stuck, still trapped in the Circle. No Ood would be free until the Circle was broken.

“Ood, tell me.” The Doctor asked. “Does ‘ _ the circle’  _ mean anything to you?”

Every orb lit up. I shuddered, hugging myself. Something pounded at my head...singing as loud and incessant as Christmas music at the mall. Worse yet, the thing in my head wanted to be heard. It wanted to be screamed and shouted out.

“The circle must be broken.” The Ood and I chanted.

Donna shuddered. “Oh,  _ that _ is creepy.”

The Doctor looked my way, then back at the Ood. “But what is it? What  _ is _ the circle?”

“The circle must be broken.” We repeated.

“Why?” The Doctor pressed.

“So that we/they can sing.” We answered. 

The Doctor turned to me. Donna stepped back so he could get closer. I tilted my head at him. “Terra. Just tell me. What is the Circle?”

Words again were stuck inside of me. What good were words now? How could any words compare to this growing pain in my head and chest? They needed to be let out. They had to know how bad it was, what was at stake.

“ _ With the sting of the whip on my shoulder, with the salt of sweat on my brow- _ ” The song came out. “ _ Elohim, God on high, can you hear your people cry-” _

The Doctor huffed. “Really? Radio Terra is back.”

“Does she do that all the time?” Donna asked.

“Only when she’s scared.” The Doctor explained. He turned to me, reaching up a hand to my shoulder to bring me out of it.

_ It wouldn’t work. _

_ The Circle was made to keep us quiet. _

“She’s highly empathetic in this body.” The Doctor went on. “The Ood communicate empathically. She’s probably connected with them.” He looked at the Ood in concern.

Did he remember back when the Ood were at level 100? Screaming out as loud as they could, not showing a single scrap on the outside?

They could scream really loud when they wanted.

It was giving me a headache...

“She’s not just feeling her fear.” The Doctor turned back to me, looking me in the eyes. “She’s feeling all of theirs.”

“Is she gonna be alright?” Donna asked.

The Doctor didn’t look away from me. Something tapped at my head. Or maybe pounded, the Ood screamed so loud I couldn’t keep track.

_ “Tell us now, this dark hour, deliver us. Hear our call, deliver us.” _

Their screams got louder and louder. Like they knew I could speak out, that I wasn’t part of it. They wanted me to speak out. They wanted to be heard and be free. 

_ “La La Lord, deliver us.”  _ I sang, slumping against the container wall. My head went all fuzzy, in and out.

_ Where was I again? Which body was mine? Standing upright exhausted me...can’t I relax? Can’t I lie down? _

_ My head... _

An alarm went off. It shocked me out of my head. Being pulled out from...whatever that was...hurt nearly as much as if I’d stayed.

“Wha- what happened?” I asked them.

“Oh, that’s us.” The Doctor answered. He held out his hand. Donna grabbed it, holding a hand out to me. “Come on.”

With a parting look at the Ood, I followed Donna out of here. Suddenly I was so tired...why was I so tired now? How...what made me so exhausted?

As we ran, the alarm rang in my head. My headache came back in full force. Every ring went off like a bomb in my head. 

_ Everything hurts _

_ She’s screaming again _

_ Her song is so loud _

I let go of Donna. My head was  _ exploding _ . Stopping in my tracks, I held my head.

“Doctor, Terra stopped!” Donna warned. She killed herself from the Doctor, staying with me. “There’s a door!”

The door opened. Guards stormed in, waving their guns around.

“Don’t move!” Someone yelled.

Why are people always yelling at me?

Why the fucking hell can’t they learn?!

_ “Shut.”  _ I glared over at the guards. All of them aimed guns at Donna and I. “ _ Up _ !”

The guards kept yelling at us. There had to be somewhere quiet nearby. Somewhere I could relax. Anywhere that didn’t have Ood-hating-guards. 

“Terra!” The Doctor called out. “Terra where are you!”

“Stay where you are.” A guard ordered at me.

“I said,  _ SHUT UP!” _ I yelled, turning and running off.

I ran. There was a space calling out for me. Guards chased me towards it.

_ They aren’t very nice men. _

They grabbed my arms, dragging me along. I slumped in their hold, falling in a dead drop. The guards only held tighter.

“Get off her! I mean it!” Donna yelled. “Get off!”

The doors to a container opened. I ran in. Or was I thrown in? That didn’t matter to me. This container was quieter than the guards. The red-eyed Oods were much more polite.

The door locked behind us.

==MGCB==

Donna watched Terra collapse against the wall. 

“Terra!” She went to the alien girl’s side. “What’s wrong with you? Did they hurt you? I’ll get them if they did!”

Donna lifted Terra’s head. The girl’s amber eyes were vacant, staring off in a haze. Donna’s heart ached at seeing Terra this broken and defeated. Worse yet, Terra’s eyes were so broken while her smile was so bright. The eyes themselves reflected back more red than before. Tears came down her face, shuddering in Donna’s arms.

Donna turned to the Ood in the container. “Can you help her? Please- she needs help. I don’t know what’s wrong with her.”

They glared Donna’s way. All of them with those glowing red eyes. The eyes that scared the Doctor. They stalked towards Donna and Terra. 

“Oh, no, you don’t. What have I done?” Donna asked. She stood up, protecting Terra from them. Whatever these Ood had wrong with them, they’d have to get through Donna first. “I’m not one of that lot. I’m on your side. Terra is too!”

The Ood continued marching forward.

“Stay where you are.” Donna ignored the shaking wobble in her voice. “That’s an order. I said,  _ stay _ . Doctor? Doctor!”

Donna found herself being flung back. Terra walked ahead, meeting the Ood halfway. To her shock, Terra tilted her head. The Ood copied her.

“Terra!” Donna cried out.

_ “The Circle must be broken.” _ Terra stated.

The Ood snarled and hissed at her. Donna thought she heard words, maybe copying Terra as well. It was too terrifying to say any of it.

Terra held up her hand, delicately placing it on the orb. An Ood hissed.

Donna pressed her back against the container. The Ood stayed still, focusing their red eyes on Terra. 

“Doctor, get us out!” Donna called out.

_ “Hear our prayer, deliver us from the despair these years of slavery, grown too cruel to stand.” _

Donna looked back. The Ood blinked at Terra, snarling. “Stop it! Terra, you need to stop!”

“ _ Deliver us. There’s a land you promised us- Deliver us from bondage to this promised land _ .” Terra told them. “ _ Hush- hu-thus...thus saith the Lord, thus saith the Lord-” _

“Doctor, get us out of here!” Donna shouted. “Doctor!”

Donna heard his voice outside. 

_ “If you don’t do what she says, you’re really in trouble. Not from me, from her.” _

_ “Unlock the container.” _ Someone ordered.

The door opened. Donna turned back to get Terra. She jumped back, startled. Terra stood at Donna’s back. Her smile vanished, her cheeks still wet. Her eyes...something in them disturbed Donna.

“Come on.” Donna guided the alien girl out of the container. Terra muttered to herself. Donna looked at the Doctor in relief. “Doctor. She’s gone in a state. And those Ood- they had those eyes.”

The Doctor gave her the smallest look of acknowledgment. He went straight to Terra. “Terra? What’s wrong?”

Terra kept muttering. The tears stop fell, her eyes going redder and redder. 

The Doctor tensed. Donna frowned, tensing up too. 

A guard screamed. Donna looked back, seeing an Ood press the orb on a man’s head. 

“Red alert. Fire!” A guard screamed. More Ood stormed from the container.

Donna and the Doctor grabbed Terra’s hands, running away from the gunfire.

As they ran, Terra spoke up. Donna could hear whatever she was saying now.

_ “-into your dreams, into your sleep, until you break- until you yield.”  _ Terra sang.

Gunshots bounced off the nearby containers. Donna barely stopped from screaming, focused on getting Terra somewhere safe.

_ “I send the swarm, I send the horde, thus saith the Lord-“ _

They made it outside. The cold snow did nothing to distract Donna from what she witnessed. They ran and ran until they were a safe distance from the gunfire.

When they finally stopped, Donna saw that woman from the tour followed them. Donna sneered at her. “If people back on Earth knew what was going on here-”

“Oh, don’t be so  _ stupid _ . Of  _ course  _ they know.” The woman dismissed.

“They know how you treat the Ood?” Donna asked.

“They don’t ask. Same thing.” The woman replied.

“Terra!” The Doctor asked in a desperate voice.

Donna looked back. The Doctor held Terra’s shoulders in his hands. Terra still sang that song, that disturbing smile stretching wider and tears still falling.

“It’s alright. You’re out of the box. You can stop.” The Doctor assured her.

She hiccuped, trying to laugh but sobbed instead.  _ “I send the thunder from the sky-” _

“Terra I’m so sorry.” The Doctor reached his hands up, pressing his fingertips to her head. “But you need to snap out of it.”

==MGCB==

“ _ I send the fire raining dow-ow-ow-OW!  _ Everything hurts!” I screamed, pushing the guards off me-

Wait- no. Not guards.

“Doctor? When did you get here?” I asked. My head pounded something awful. Did I start drinking again? The Doctor worked hard to stop my drinking, saying something about...something. I don’t know- my head hurts. How long had that been a thing? “Why is it cold again- when did we get outside? Hey, when did that PR lady get here? What happened to the Ood? WHY IS MY BOWTIE CROOKED?!”

“You’re back.” The Doctor sighed in relief. He squeezed my shoulder.

As I straightened out the bow tie, something in his tone made my stomach sink. “Did I blackout? What happened to the Ood? Did- did I hurt someone? Doctor, what did I do?  _ What did I do- _ ”

“Nothing. You did nothing.” The Doctor told me. He held my shoulders, looking me in the eyes so I could see his sincerity. “Really, honestly nothing. You stayed 100 percent you, I swear.”

“Yeah, you were only singing.” Donna explained.

_ Singing? Sing- what did I sing? Why did I sing it? Why do I not  _ remember  _ singing it? _

_ Was it catchy at least? _

“You’re safe now.” The Doctor assured.

“Safe? Seriously? How can I be safe when I’m surrounded by space slavers?” I asked.

“We are not slavers!” Solana argued.

“And it’s not rabbit season!” I snapped back. “You people- do you know what you’ve done to them? What you  _ really  _ did to them?”

“Nothing! We have done nothing.” Solana insisted. 

That made me giggle, incredulous. “Then why do the Ood serve as they do? Why did they stop singing? Whenever I get near them, it’s- it’s like I can’t stop myself singing for them and with them. Something in them wants  _ freedom _ . Wants to be  _ heard _ . You said they were born like this, but that’s just not  _ possible.  _ Not for the Ood.”

I marched up to her face. The Doctor at my shoulder, acting as backup.

“I’ll ask one more time. What. Did. You.  _ Do _ ?”

Solana shook her head. “That’s nothing to do with me.” 

The Doctor stepped forward. “Oh, what, because you don’t ask?”

“That’s Doctor Ryder’s territory.” Solana answered.

The Doctor pulled out the map. “Where’s he? What part of the complex?” Solana paused, hesitant and scared. “We could help with the red-eye. Now  _ show us.” _

She pointed to a spot on the map. “There. Beyond the red section.”

_ ‘We don’t need a map.’ _

_ ‘Yeah, we do. Not even I can memorize a map that fast.’ _

_ ‘I have.’ _ It’s one of my favorite hobbies. Darcy thought that was fun. A sort of nerd thing that suited me, she said. How else would I be able to break her out of hails so often without getting good at studying maps?  _ ‘But even that’s useless. Can’t you hear them?’ _

The Doctor tried. I saw it, he really tried.  _ ‘...you can still hear them singing, can’t you?’ _

_ ‘You can’t?’ _

A beat.

_ ‘Terra. Oh Terra Johnson you are brilliant.’ _ The Doctor praised. He smiled at me, sending mental waves of praise at me. 

It didn’t make me feel any better. Freeing the Ood would do that. 

Or some sleep. My head still hurt something awful...did I hit it, or something?

“Come with us.” The Doctor offered Solana. I rolled my eyes. “You’ve seen the warehouse. You can’t agree with all this. You know this place better than me. You could help.”

Solana showed no hesitation. “They’re over here!” I grabbed the Doctor and Donna, dragging them off in the direction of the songs in my head. “Guards! They’re over here.”

==MGCB==

We approached a new warehouse. Donna followed behind. Their songs were louder here. That made sense, given who they stored inside. Their songs hurt. My head hurt, somewhere between wanting to sing back or just fall into madness.

“Terra’s right. We don’t need a map, we just need to listen.” The Doctor explained. “This way.”

I pulled out my sonic as we reached the door. 

The Doctor ran beside me. “Oh can you hear it?”

“It’s beautiful.” The song broke your heart in all the worst ways. The tragedy of the song made it beautiful- made it  _ real _ . This song hurt less than before. 

The door unlocked. I kicked it open, skipping inside. The Doctor and Donna rushed in. The Doctor shut the door. He used the sonic to lock it back, sparks flying. 

“Hold on. Does that mean we’re locked in?” Donna asked.

_ Don’t remind me _

_ Seriously don’t _

_ It’s taking a lot in me to not freak out about that. _

_ The door can be unlocked at any time...we’ll get out before I should even worry...we’ll be fine...we’ll be alright. _

“Listen. Listen, listen, listen, listen.” The Doctor instructed.

I went off, skipping after the singing. 

“Oh, my head. No wonder you were in a state.” The Doctor replied. 

“What is it?” Donna asked.

“Can’t you hear it? The singing?” The Doctor asked. He ran after me.

I found an Ood cage first. As my companions approached, I turned on the light. The unprocessed Ood sat up, looking at me in worry.

Approaching the cage, I sent back the song I sang with Delta. My song, answering the call of theirs. The Ood settled, spreading out from a circle.

_ My head hurts _

_ It hurts so bad _

_ But I will sing to make them at ease _

“They look different to the others.” Donna wondered.

“That’s because they’re natural-born Ood, unprocessed, before they’re adapted to slavery. Unspoiled.” The Doctor knelt by my side. My hand grabbed the bars of the cage, reaching out to them. 

“They’re singing again.” I told them, humming. 

“I can’t hear it.” Donna knelt at my other side.

“Would you like to?” I asked her.

Donna nodded. “Yeah.”

“It’s the song of captivity.” The Doctor cautioned.

Donna braced herself. “Let me hear it.”

“Are you sure?” I asked her. Donna nodded. “Okay. Turn to me.”

Donna turned. I reached up, pressing a fingertip to her forehead. 

“Open your mind up- like opening a door. There you go.” I encouraged her. The song slipped from my mind to hers. “Listen to it, Donna. Listen as I do.”

The song flowed between our minds. The Ood sang in turn with me, and I showed Donna both of them. The song in all its tragedy.

When I lowered my hand back, Donna turned to stare at the caged Ood. “Take it away.”

“Okay.” My fingertip went back to the top of her head. A small poke in her mind stopped the Ood singing. 

Donna whimpered, wiping water from her cheek. “I can’t bear it.”

“It’s gone now.” I told her.

“No, it’s not. I still hear it.” Donna explained.

I tilted my head. It came in a flash. “Oh my Author! My bad. That’s my bit.” Leaning forward, I tapped her head.

Donna let out a breath, shuddering as she held the bars to the cage.

“I’m sorry.” My hand went over my chest, clutching at my bowtie. “Really- you didn’t need to hear me-”

“It’s fine,  _ I’m  _ sorry.” Donna wiped her cheeks again.

“It’s okay.” The Doctor assured her. 

Donna looked up at us, something very vulnerable and lost in her eyes. “But both of you can still hear it.”

“All day.” I admitted with ease. Sure it made every part of my day difficult and upsetting, even apparently setting off a mental breakdown. Still, the Ood song deserved to be heard. How could I ever forgive myself for ignoring it?

The Doctor reached over, putting a hand on my back. He rubbed my back. ‘ _ You’re not okay.’ _

_ ‘I promise!’ _

_ ‘If it’s too much, you can stop.’ _

_ ‘But- but if I stop listening then it’s like I won’t care-’ _ I reasoned.

_ ‘No one would say that about you.’ _ The Doctor promised me. _ ‘You’re the one that saw them in pain long before I did. You’ve done more today to free the Ood than me. After all that you’ve been through, they would understand you stepping away.’ _

_ ‘I can’t leave them behind- I can’t do it again.’ _

_ ‘Neither can I. We’re staying here to fight until every Ood is free.’ _

_ ‘Promise?’ _

_ ‘Yes.’ _

The Doctor squeezed my shoulder. With him there, promising to free the Ood, stepping away from the song hurt less.

As I took a deep breath, the Doctor pulled out his sonic. He used it on the door. Behind us, loud metal banging echoed up to us.

“They’re breaking in.” Donna warned.

“Ah, let them.” The Doctor pulled the cage door open.

The Ood scurried back, trying to hide in the corner of their cell. I moved forward. The Ood curled further back from me. As my entire self-esteem crumbled, the Doctor knelt beside me.

“What are you holding? Show me.” Hr asked, being careful to be kind.

The Ood continued to hide. I crawled forward, just enough to stay out of arm’s reach.

“We’re Friends.” I smiled kindly. “Ood Friends. The three of us, Friend. Doctor, Donna, Terra.  _ Friend _ .” I promised them.

The Ood stayed still. My eyes watered, pain in my chest returning like somebody shot broken glass into my hearts. I knew it. Stepping away from their song hurt them, made them hate me.

_ The Master said stuff like that all the time...I didn’t want to think he was right. _

The Ood crawled forward, their knees scraping across the dirt. Their hands clasped tight around their hindbrain.

“It’s Okie Doki.” I assured them, desperate now for their trust. If not even an Ood trusted me, what chance did I have? I’d killed them once before. Humanity thrice over. Who could blame them for mistrust? “Really it is. We’re friends.”

The Ood shuffled forward. 

“T-that’s it. It’s okay.” I encouraged, leaning forward.

The Ood held out their hands. The Doctor and Donna leaned forward too. The Ood uncovered their hand, showing off the small hindbrain. The image itself- and its implications- horrified me. Still, relief overflowed inside of me. 

“Thank you.” I bowed my hand, resting my hands over my hearts. “For trusting us.”

“Is that-?” Donna gawked.

“It’s a  _ brain _ .” The Doctor realized. “A hindbrain. The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans, it processes memory and emotions. You get rid of that, you wouldn’t be Donna anymore. You’d be like an Ood. A processed Ood.”

“So the company cuts off their brains?” Donna asked.

“And give them an orb in return.” I confirmed.

“Like a lobotomy.” Donna looked around our makeshift Circle. “I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, Terra, because I thought it was so wonderful out here. I want to go home.”

“It still is.” I told Donna. “Because we’re getting them out. The Circle will break.” I looked at the Doctor.

His expression was unmistakable. A frown like he’d been grinding his teeth, a step behind growling in rage. His big brown eyes crackled, shimmering and coming up from a slow heat. That anger that’s been burning since Ood Delta finally came out. 

“Right?” I prompted him.

The Doctor turned to me. His eyes widened. I didn’t need to look in his head to know what he was thinking. What he was coming to realize about the Ood Brain- what it could mean for the Circle. 

The doors busted open. I let go of them, rising to my feet and turning back. My hand went to my Bag. A gun sat inside, nestled and waiting. If this would be a shoot-out, I’d need to be quick in keeping them away from these Ood.

“They’re with the Ood, sir.” One of them reported.

I reached out with my other hand, grabbing the cell door. As Hallrn approached I slammed it shut. 

The Doctor stood up, reaching for the bars.  _ ‘Are you alright?’ _

_ ‘For a minute, yeah.’ _

“What you going to do, then?” The Doctor taunted. “Arrest us? Lock us up? Throw us in a cage? Well, you’re too late.  _ Ha!” _

==MGCB==

They closed the handcuff around my wrist. I glared at them, curling my fingers into a fist. The guard flinched back from me.

I’d caused quite a stir. Earlier as they dragged us from the Ood cell, I’d kicked a good portion of the guards. If they wanted to stay unbruised, they shouldn’t’ve been in kicking range.

The Doctor smiled proudly at me.

Now we were in handcuffs. Yes, a mild panic attack was starting. The Ood needed help- that kept me with some semblance of sanity.

“Why don’t you just come out and say it?” Halpen scolded. “FOTO activists.”

“ _ Proudly _ !” I snapped. “Friends of the Ood are just people with  _ sense _ !” Coming from  _ me _ , that’s saying something.

“The Ood were nothing without us, just animals roaming around on the ice.” Halpen dismissed.

I growled.

“That’s because you can’t hear them.” The Doctor hissed. 

“They  _ welcomed _ it. It’s not as if they put up a fight.” Halpen argued, dismissing the very real nature of Oods.

_ Do I want to hit him or shoot him? _

I looked at Ood Sigma. He stayed still and quiet, not even blinking as his boss called him such things. The Ood was braver than me. He caught me staring, tilting his head.

“You idiot.” Donna snapped. I stopped growling, instead smiling proudly at her. “They’re born with their  _ brains _ in their  _ hands _ . Don’t you see, that makes them  _ peaceful _ . They’ve  _ got _ to be, because a creature like that would  _ have _ to trust anyone it meets.”

“Go Donna!” I cheered.

“Yeah, nice one.” The Doctor complimented.

Donna nodded, her head tilting up in pride. “Thank you.”

“The system’s worked for two hundred years. All we’ve got is a rogue batch.” Happen excused.  _ Hit him. Definitely hit him. I want my fish to meet his face. “ _ But the infection is about to be sterilized.”

_ Bastard _

Halpen reached for his earpiece. “Mister Kess. How do we stand?”

“ _ Canisters primed, sir. As soon as the core heats up, the gas is released. Give it two hundred marks and counting.” _

“You’re going to  _ gas _ them?” The Doctor asked, disgusted.

Halpen “Kill the livestock. The classic foot and mouth solution from the olden days. Still works.”

_ I can’t wait for it to blow up in your face _

Something hit me- hit  _ hard _ . I took a sharp breath through my nose, fighting back and other outward sign of it. This hurt less than all the other times I joined them...this felt natural, like the easiest thing in the world.

_ Flashes showed up in my mind _

_ The Ood-Brain wanted me to see _

_ I would understand _

_ I would help _

_ A Natural Ood mustn’t kill, after all.  _

_ The revolution of the Ood had begun in true form _

_ The Oods formed circles- free and red-eyed alike. They sang out their song. I could hear it. _

_ The Ood attendants killed off they’d would-be buyers _

_ Ood marched in the snowy streets, attacking the guards _

_ Ood broke into the warehouse. They took out the guards. I gave them tips for the fight- to avoid gunshots and fight better. _

_ They thanked me for my advice. The head of security suffered from the very gas attack they wanted to carry out. Vengeance at her finest. _

When I came back to awareness with my own body, Halpen and Dr. Ryder were walking back in. Sigma locked eyes with me immediately. I tilted my head at him, lowering my chin. Sigma tilted his head, lowered his own chin.

“Change of plan.” Halpen was saying.

“There are no reports of trouble off-world, sir.” Dr. Ryder assured him. “It’s still contained to the Ood Sphere.”

“Then we’ve got a public duty to stop it before it spreads.” Halpen insisted.

I giggled. “Drama in the Ood Sphere.”

“What’s happening?” The Doctor prompted.

“Everything you wanted, Doctor.” Halpen sneered at us. “No doubt there’ll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilized, so I can’t risk a bullet to the head.” I smiled. “I’ll leave you to the mercies of the Ood.” He made to leave, signaling to the guards and Dr. Ryder to follow him.

“But Mister Halpen, there’s something else, isn’t there?” The Doctor called out. Halpen stopped in his tracks. “Something we haven’t seen.”

“What do you mean?” Donna asked.

“When something’s got two brains, we go crazy trying to keep track of all of it.” I explained. “All the thoughts get canceled out by each other- it’s not a fun process. So it’s gotta have a third thing to counteract the stupidity. Like us and you.” Turning my head towards Halpen, I grinned so wide and giggly. “Did I win a prize? I want a tier-three prize.”

Halpen scoffed, laughing derisively. “And again, so clever.”

“But it’s got to be connected to the red-eye. What is it?” The Doctor asked.

“It won’t exist for very much longer.” Halogen threatened. “Enjoy your Ood.”

That time he did leave. I gave Ood Signa a bright smile as he walked away. If my hand wasn’t busy finding my lock pick kit, I’d wave at him.

No sooner did the doors close were the Doctor and Donna jerking in their cuffs. I stayed still, trying not to jostle the lockpick case out of my hands.

The Doctor grunted, his arms straining. “Come on.”

“Well, do  _ something _ . You’re the ones with all the tricks.” Donna hurried, impatient. “You must have met Houdini.”

“These are  _ really _ good handcuffs.” He excused, straining again.

“Oh well, I’m glad of  _ that _ . I mean, at least we’ve got  _ quality _ .” Donna snarked.

“Found it!” I cheered. The lock pick kit actually belonged to Darcy. She wouldn’t mind that I borrowed it as I would be returning it before she noticed. Opening the kit, I got to pick the lock on the cuffs. “Quality cuffs...means the locks are complicated….still can do it behind my back.”

“What are you doing?” The Doctor asked.

“Had a lockpick kit in my Bag.” I answered. The pick twisted and turned inside the lock, trying to pop it open.

“What’d you have that for?” 

I looked up at him, smiling too wide to be real and my eyes wide. The Doctor just asked why I kept a lockpick case on hand. Him, of all people, should know the sonic screwdriver isn’t a magic wand that can break  _ anything _ . “The case is pretty.”

“Oh see?  _ She’s _ useful.” Donna praised.

That was the highest compliment I’d ever received. “Aww...thank you!”

As I worked out the last parts of the lock, the door slid open. The three of us gawked as three Ood walked in. Their eyes a bright glowing red.

I reminded myself that it was fine. We were fine. My cuffs were open any second- I would just need to connect to them and sing. They would remind the Ood that we were friends.

The Doctor told me I didn’t have to do that...but...but it’s worked every time I’ve done it. This is just easier.

“Doctor, Donna, Terra friends.” The Doctor told them, straining against the cuffs. 

“The circle must be broken.” Donna pleaded.

My hands popped out. I put everything back in the case. As the Ood came closer I tilted my head, staring them right in the eyes. Then I opened my mind to them.

_ Ood Circle...we’re here. Doctor, Donna, Terra. Ood Friends. _

“Doctor, Donna, Terra, friends.” The Doctor repeated.

“The circle must be broken.” Donna repeated. 

The Ood walked closer. One faltered in their steps but continued on. I tried again.

_ We are FRIENDS! _

_ Doctor. Donna. Terra. Friends. Down with Halpen. The Circle must be broken. The Brain is in danger. Let us help you. _

“Doctor, Donna, Terra, friends.” The Doctor repeated. 

“The circle must be broken!” Donna shouted. 

“Friends, friends, friends.”

“The circle must be broken!”

The three Ood paused. The singing got louder- mournful and instructional. The singing grew and grew. They lowered their heads, clutching at the sides. 

As they looked back up, their eyes were normal. One could almost say they were smiling.

“Doctor. Donna. Terra. Friends.” An Ood explained.

“Yepperoni we are!” I threw my arms up, pulling in the three Ood for a hug. “Huzzah!”

The Doctor and Donna laughed in relief. 

“Oi Terra, mind helping?” Donna asked.

“Huh?” Ending the hug, I looked back at them. Still handcuffed to the metal pipes. “Oh right!”

Pulling out the lockpick kit, I got to work on Donna’s cuffs.

“Oh you’re right. That case  _ is  _ pretty.” Donna complimented.

I giggled, cheeks a bit pink.

==MGCB==

Once outside, I quickly checked around for our bearings. The Doctor and Donna just wanted to start running wildly after Halpen.

It would just be faster if I led the path. As we three ran down the stairs, I ran faster past them.

“I don’t know where it is. I don’t know where they’ve gone.” The Doctor admitted.

“What are we looking for?” Donna asked.

“It might be underground, like some sort of cave, or a cavern, or-” The Doctor tried to think. 

“Warehouse 15 is up ahead, two rights and a left.” I explained. Grabbing their arms, I led them through the firefight. 

They both followed along. The Doctor kept alert of the bullets flying everywhere. If I wasn’t so busy leading them around, I’d bring out a gun to fight back.

“How do you know that?” Donna asked.

“I memorized the map!” I cheerfully reminded her. “ _ I’m the map, I’m the map, I’m the map!” _

An explosion went off nearby, sending us into the snow.

Golly gee how rude of them to interrupt a song from  _ Dora the Explorer _ . 

The Doctor checked with us. “All right?”

“Yep!” I cheered, pushing my hair out of my face.

Donna nodded.

I got back to my feet, helping Donna up as well. Behind us, waiting ever so patient, stood Ood Sigma. Donna fearfully grabbed my arm.

The Doctor eyed Sigma, cautious. 

I tilted my head. Ood Sigma copied me. He picked up his orb.

“You will break the Circle?” He asked.

“Yeah. I promised Ood Delta.” I reminded him.

Sigma bowed his head in thanks. “Shall we make way to Warehouse 15?”

“Way ahead of you!” I grabbed their arms again. The four of us rushed off for the warehouse. 

==MGCB==

The Doctor sonicked the door open. I ran inside, reaching for a gun in my Bag. It stayed in my skirt pocket, ready at a moment’s notice to be used to protect Dr. Ryder. 

Inside, the song doubled in volume. Without waiting, I went up to the metal railings. The Ood Brain sang up at us. The Circle stood around it, a circle of electricity keeping it locked. 

“The Ood Brain.” The Doctor walked up to my side, Donna just after him.

“They are  _ marvelous _ !” I complimented the giant Brain. “Oh your poor thing...”

“Now it all makes sense!  _ That’s _ the missing link.” The Doctor realized. “The third element, binding them together. Forebrain, hindbrain, and this, the telepathic center. It’s a shared mind, connecting all the Ood in song.”

Donna tapped my arm, looking out at the Brain. “Is that why you were singing?”

“ _ I know why the caged Ood brain sings _ .” I confirmed, nodding solemnly.

“Cargo.”

I whirled around, hand reaching for my gun but not drawing it. 

Halpen walked out from the shadows. “I can always go into cargo. I’ve got the rockets, I’ve got the sheds. Smaller business.” As he approached, I could better make out the small pistol in his hands. “Much more manageable, without livestock.”

Dr. Ryder came out from the shadows as well. “He’s mined the area.”

A glance proves him right. The metal grating had blinking attachments. None of them came across as friendly.

My fingers twitched.

“You’re going to kill it?” Donna snapped.

Halpen didn’t deny it. Why would it? It obvious. “They found that thing centuries ago beneath the Northern Glacier.”

The Doctor leaned forward, looking at the electric fencing. “Those pylons.”

“The Circle.” I told them.

_ “The circle must be broken _ .” Donna and I said. 

“Damping the telepathic field.” The Doctor glared at Halpen. “Stopping the Ood from connecting for  _ two hundred years. _ ”

Halpen smiled like that was something to be proud of. He frowned towards the Ood behind us. “And you, Ood Sigma, you brought them here. I expected better.”

“He did nothing. It was all me!” I explained, stepping forward. “I memorized your map hours ago...and saw you walking in here earlier. This place had something to do with the Ood freedom.”

Sigma walked past us. “My place is at your side, sir.”

“Still subservient. Good Ood.” Halpen praised as the Ood took a spot behind Halpen.

“If that barrier thing’s in place, how come the Ood started breaking out?” Donna asked.

“It takes time to adapt yourself around that kind of suppression. You find creative ways of breaking out- submitting to it so it’s easier to defeat.” I explained. “But even  _ I  _ need someone to open the  _ door _ . Dr. Ryder, do I have you to thank?”

Dr. Ryder stepped forward. “The process was too slow. It had to be accelerated.” He glared at his boss. I started sneaking around, staying out of Halpen’s sight. “You should  _ never _ give me access to the controls, Mister Halpen. I lowered the barrier to its minimum.  _ Friends Of The Ood, _ sir. It’s taken me ten years to infiltrate the company, and I succeeded.”

Halpen smiled. I stepped fireward, radioing my gun. “Yes. Yes, you did.”

_ Bang _

The four of them jumped back. All of them turned to glare at me. My gun raised to the ceiling. I lowered it down towards Halpen.

“Dr. Ryder, I am not a physician but I  _ do _ have a recommendation.” I told him. “Retreat!”

Dr. Ryder fearfully obeyed. He ran out of the room, hopefully off to call the police.

Halpen smiled at me. Not a fun smile, a  _ sinister _ smile that gave me chills. He scoffed. He was way scarier when he were Cruella de Vil’s valet. “You think you have a chance against me, little girl?”

_ The Master smiled at me. He raised Chantho’s gun at me. “The Doctor won’t like much, will he? He’s never liked his companions getting their hands bloody before.” _

I suppressed a shudder. “Have you ever even fired that thing at a person?”

“Can’t say I have.” Halpen replied. The Doctor cautiously moved Donna behind him. She hissed at him about how long I’d had a gun. Halpen kept his aim at me. “Can’t say I’m going to like it. But er, it’s not exactly a normal day, is it? Still.”

Sigma walked toward Halpen. “Would you like a drink, sir?” He held out a shot glass full of his  _ ‘tonic’ _ . 

Halpen glared. “I think hair loss is the least of my problems right now, thanks.”

Sigma stepped between Halpen and me. “Please have a drink, sir. “

Halpen hissed and huffed. The red glow from the brain shining around him. “If, if you’re going to stand in their way, I’ll shoot you too.”

“Please have a drink, sir.” Sigma insisted.

Halpen tried to tell, choking instead. He reached for his head, grabbing at the baldness. “Have- have you poisoned me?”

“Natural Ood must never kill, sir.” Sigma reminded him.

_ Processed Ood were a different matter entirely _

“What is that stuff?” The Doctor asked.

“Ood graft suspended in a biological compound, sir.” Sigma answered.

I laughed.

“What the hell does that mean?” Halpen hissed.

The Doctor clicked his tongue. “Oh, dear.”

“That’s  _ hilarious. _ ” I laughed.

“Tell me!”

“Funny thing, the subconscious.” The Doctor began. “Takes all sorts of shapes. Came out in the red-eye as  _ revenge _ , came out in the rabid Ood as  _ anger _ , and then there was  _ patience _ .” He nodded his head at Sigma. “All that intelligence and mercy focused on Ood Sigma. How’s the hair loss, Mister Halpen?”

Happen gripped tight to the gun in his hand. His face grimaced in pain, and agony. He reached to his head, pulling off another clump of his hair. “What have you  _ done _ ?”

“They’ve been working on you for a long time haven’t they?” I stepped forward, keeping my gun level to his face. “I’ve been hearing the Brain all day...even had me under a few times  _ from a distance _ . You’re standing right in front of the Ood Brain... _ can you hear what I hear?” _

Halpen gagged, seeming to choke on something. “What have you-? I’m  _ not- _ ” He gagged, coughing and choking on it. The gun fell from his hands.

Quickly I rushed forward, kicking the gun further away. 

Halpen reached behind his head, pulling at his head. In a disgusting display of body horror, an entire layer of skin peeled off. I backpedaled away from him.

The Ood Brain sang so loudly...

Tentacles fell out from his mouth, squirming and twitching as they extended from his face.

He stood back upright, showing off the new body. A perfect, unprocessed Ood. Or a genetically modified Ood...it depends how you look at him.

Donna spoke first. “They, they turned him into an Ood?”

I tucked my gun away in the Bag. My hand grabbed the sonic instead, walking towards the railing. “Yep.” My sonic buzzed, it’s pink light nearly lost against the red.

Donna poked the Doctor. “He’s an Ood.”

The Doctor nodded, still staring at Halpen. “I noticed.”

Halpen sneezed out his hindbrain, catching it in his hand. Sigma came up to his side. The confused Ood blinked down at his new appendage.

“He has become Oodkind, and we will take care of him.” Sigma promised us. 

My sonic continued buzzing.

“It’s weird, being with you lot.” Donna admitted. “I can’t tell what’s right and what’s wrong anymore.”

“It’s better that way.” The Doctor People who know for certain tend to be like Mister Halpen.”

“Being indecisive is way more action-packed! Which is funny, cause indecision usually stops you from doing actions.” Tossing the sonic in the air, I let it twirl before catching it. “It’s actually a  _ hind- _ rance! Haha, get it Halpen? Cause you...forget I said anything.”

“Oh!” The Doctor rushed to the railings. “The explosives-”

“Handled!” I cheerily skipped towards the control panel. The Doctor watched me, smiling. “Ood Sigma, would you like to do the honors?” I waved to the control panel, smiling up at the Ood.

These were his people. Freeing them...after all he’d done at Halpen’s side...he deserved to do this. The Doctor and I can be heroes another day.

_ I would see the Circle broken. _

_ But not by my hand.  _

_ The Master was right. The Doctor should be disappointed in me- I don’t deserve to push it. _

_ Sigma does. _

Sigma bowed his head. The action surprised me. The Ood and I had done it all day, a sort of show of solidarity between us against the Circle. That Ood Sigma did it now...right before we took it down... “It is yours, Terra.”

_ What _

So I shook my head. “This is your victory. I don’t deserve it.”

“I think you do.” The Doctor’s smile went wider, his joy made brighter. The dangerous kind of joy that came with hope. “Terra Johnson,  _ go for it.” _

It felt like a trick. A nasty, mean-spirited trick. Like the second I would go to push it, they’d start laughing at me. Me, actually thinking I could push the button? After all I’d done to the Ood, that one time earlier I didn’t listen to them sing because the Doctor said it was hurting me more than helping them? Yeah, that was selfish and bad.

I didn’t want to touch it.

_ ‘Go on.’  _ The Doctor encouraged.

_ If they laughed at me, I don’t think I would ever get over it _

I walked to the control panel. My hand gripped the first dial.

“...so long stuck inside.” I turned the dial. Nobody laughed or told me to stop. That meant I could...keep going? “...made silent, made subservient, driven  _ mad _ !”

The last dial.

“The Circle is broken.” The dial turned down. Looking over my shoulder, I smiled at the Doctor, Donna, and Ood Sigma. “You can sing now.”

The electric current around the Ood Brain shut off. All at once, the Ood were singing. Their song blared out. It washed over me. I  _ loved  _ it. 

“I can hear it!” Donna cheered. This time, it didn’t make her cry.

==MGCB==

Peaceful singing rang out along the snow. I danced in it, leaving footprints along with the freshly fallen snow. No Ood blood for miles. No Ood slaves for further beyond. 

A planet made new.

“The message has gone out.” The Doctor explained. “That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home.”

“We thank you, Doctor Donna Terra, friends of Oodkind.” Sigma told us. Just with those words, a chill went down my back. “And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for you.”

“We’re good!” I dragged the Doctor and Donna into a hug. “We’ve got a Song of our own. Thanks though!”

“I think your song must end soon.” Sigma explained.

Ah.

Right.

_ That _ .

In just a few years time...the Doctor would come back here to the Ood Sphere...they’d warn him about his upcoming death...would I even be there for that?

_ Oh my Author they’d tell him the Master was back _

_ I need to make sure Lucy is  _ gone _ from that planet _

_ He can’t come back _

_ He’d tell the Doctor what I did- _

The Doctor frowned. “Meaning?”

“Every song must end.” Sigma advised.

“Yeah.” The Doctor replied. He turned to Donna. “Er, what about you? You still want to go home?”

“We can if you want to.” I assured her.

“I know-”

“It would hurt. Personally, it would hurt.”

“Terra-”

“We just got you back and losing you again makes me  _ sad.  _ But I’d  _ get it _ .”

“Terra.” Donna hushed me. I pushed my lips together for her. “I’m not leaving.”

“HUZZAH!” I let go of the Doctor, giving Donna a big hug.

The Doctor grinned. “Then we’ll be off.”

Sigma extended his arms. The Circle of Ood stood behind him did the same. “Take this song with you.”

“Forever.” I bowed my head at the Ood, giving them a thankful curtsy.

“We will.” Donna promised.

“Always.” The Doctor promised.

“And know this, Doctor Donna Terra. You will never be forgotten.”

_ You’re damn right we won’t _

_ I won’t allow it _

_ Donna Noble needs to remember all of this _

_ Whatever it takes _

_ I’ve got two Plans already to ensure she remembers _

“Our children will sing of the Doctor Donna Terra, and our children’s children, and the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever.” Ood Sigma promised.

As we walked back into the TARDIS, I hummed the song. It went so well with the TARDIS noise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Finally, I’ve done it! This chapter is done. This one put me in the wringer. I tried to make it happier, I swear. Every time I did something bad happened to the Ood and Terra just reacted and I couldn’t make her listen to me!  
> But it’s almost Martha time. Nothing can be bad in Martha time...all three Martha episodes have to be light-hearted, right?!


End file.
